The Other Half
by ViridianRose
Summary: This series is a sequel to "A Heart for the Nobody", which I would advise reading before you charge into this one. Or, if you're feeling rebellious, you can start this one first. Do as you wish! Rated M for language, violence, and suggestive situations. This series will be slightly more psychological and violent than the previous, though no less exciting and action-filled.
1. How many days?

HALT!

This is a sequel. If you have not read "A Heart for the Nobody", I would advise you to go back and read that series first so you don't ruin it for yourself. You can find the series under my list of works in my profile.

If you have already read it (or don't care), then welcome to the first chapter of the sequel.

This series has proved to be, and will continue to be a challenge. Mostly because I originally didn't plan to write a sequel. However, my precious readers have convinced me otherwise, and I will proceed with pleasure. I enjoy any and all comments/reviews, and take into account everything that is said to me (including some guest reviews I was unable to respond to).

It has taken me longer than intended to strike up the new series but I had to get the feel right. Don't want to let you guys down!

This sequel may have a different feel to it…at least at first. Considering the situation though, it had to.

Well, enjoy!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

_How many day has it been now?_

Icy white eyes tilted up to look at the sun, then back down to the horizon.

_Four hundred….four hundred and twelve. That's how many days it has been since I was born._

The eyes swept around to look at the world behind her, silent as always. In this world, she was the only one who had no voice. She was different. She knew it since the day she was born. She wasn't one of them. She didn't belong anywhere she went. And yet, four hundred and twelve days later, she was still lost.

Behind her, people milled about, far away from her. She was undisturbed by it; she had long since become used to their instinct to shy away. She observed their expressions, and gauged the situation by those alone. She didn't understand why these facial messages dictated their actions, but they did. She had simply learned to react to them appropriately, as she was unable to decipher their reasoning.

Even after all of her wandering, knowing she didn't belong here, she found herself returning to this beach time after time_. Is it because I was first born here? Why do I return here when there is nothing?_

Her eyes moved across the dancing ocean, across the people who were laughing and making those strange expressions at each other. Often, one would call out a work, something that didn't make sense, and another person would answer. Fyer had watched this many times, but the word was never the same when she watched others. Did she have a name? If she did, what would they call her?

But she already knew. They had said it to her countless times, screamed it at her, wailed it as they ran.

_Monster_.

Her extraordinary hearing picked up movement nearby, and was surprised to hear it moving toward her. All she had to do was turn to face them, and they would run. Her attire, mixed with her bright burning eyes and intimidating physique always made them flee. They knew automatically there was something wrong with her.

She turned and faced those who were approaching. At the time, they hadn't been looking at her. They rounded the corner of a street near where she was standing and spotted her. She was already facing them, expecting them. The pair froze.

"You…you've gotta be kidding me. Is that…?" one said, glancing at the other. It was a pair of young men, no different than those that inhabited this coastal city. Except for one very important thing; they weren't running. She tilted her head very slightly, perplexed. The other young man stared at her.

"Yea. I couldn't ever forget…she's wearing a cloak of the Organization," he confirmed. This one had spiky hair and bright blue eyes. The other, the first one that had spoken, had straight silvery hair and the same bright blue in his eyes. Why were they still standing there, looking at her? Were they trying to read her expressions like she was reading theirs?

"That can't be possible, though…right? I thought they were all gone," the silver haired one pointed out, and she brought her attention to him. The mere movement of her eyes to him brought up an expression she had seen before. It was the one they had right before they ran. There was something about him that drew her attention, but she couldn't understand it.

"I didn't think it could be. But, there she is. I mean…look at her, she can't be human. She's probably a Nobody," the other one said, drawing her attention away. She regarded him with the same scrutiny, and his expression matched his companion's. Human? Nobody? Did he know what she was? She tilted her head again, waiting for him to call her name. She had to have one, and someone had to know.

"She's not attacking or running. She's not doing anything actually. Do you think she could really be one of them? I mean…every member of the Organization, and all of its Replicas were known about because of Namine mainly. We couldn't have missed her," silver hair said, trying to rationalize it.

"So then that can only mean she's new," the other said, watching her with a strange expression. "When did you join the Organization? What's your name?"

Icy white eyes stared intently at the interrogator, silent. She couldn't respond even if she had the answers. She had no voice; didn't they know that? Monsters had no voices. The quiet stretched between the three, the only noise disrupting them coming from the people across the beach. Her eyes slid to the young man with silver hair, who flinched when the cold eyes fell upon him.

"She's not acting like any Organization member I remember. What's wrong with her?" he asked in a hushed voice.

"I don't know. It's a little strange. Maybe we should ask Mickey what to do. She's not acting right, even as a member of the Organization. We should take her there. I don't know why she's here, but we shouldn't let her out of our sight. Not when she's wearing that cloak," the shorter boy said, eyes sweeping across her. All of their words were interesting and strange all at once. No one had ever looked at her for this long without running. What was different about them?

"Are you sure? Sora, stop! Wait a second!" the older guy exclaimed, reaching out to his companion. Sora shrugged him off.

"Riku, relax. Whether she's dangerous or not, we have to take her to King Mickey. How are we going to explain if she runs off and we did nothing? She's wearing an Organization coat!" Sora said to his friend, before turning to her. He took a few steps closer. She watched him intently, suddenly tensed. Why was he coming closer? There was only one reason humans ever came toward her. "Come with us. We need to find out who you are, and what you're doing with the Organization. We won't hurt you unless you try to hurt us."

The one called Sora reached out his hand. She took a quick step back, ensuring she stayed completely out of reach. She remained tense, eyes glowing brightly. Sora's companion blinked.

"She's gonna run," he pointed out. Her eyes darted from him to Sora. When her eyes came back to Sora, his expression changed. She knew that expression, and what reaction came with it.

Without sparing another second, she turned and sprinted away from them, off the beach and into the trees swifter than any of the people on the beach could comprehend. As she leapt through the trees, dodging them with ease, she could hear something behind her. They were chasing her, which was unexpected.

With a glance back, she realized they weren't far behind. No human could run this fast. What were they, if not human? Were they monsters too? She slowed at the thought. Were there truly others like her?

She reached up and grabbed a branch tight, using the momentum to propel herself up into the air. When she righted herself, she landed with ease on a wide branch far above the ground. She crouched, watching below as her pursuers came into sight. Just as expected, they knew where she was instantly.

"Riku, up there!" Sora pointed out, sliding to a stop. When the pair had stopped, they looked up at her in the tree, hesitating. She leaned forward, still holding onto the branch so she didn't fall off. Their expressions were still that which suggested violence, and she blinked slowly, deciding on her next move. She was curious as to what they were, if not human. Every way she looked at them, they were no different from the rest. How, then, could they move so quickly?

"Why are you running? Do you have something you're hiding from us? Tell us what you know!" Sora cried. Her eyes only blinked again, silently observing them. Riku stepped up beside his friend, then leapt to the side a second later when a bright shear of light blazed through his hand. It took the form of a giant key, appearing to be a formidable weapon. She straightened suddenly. She knew what weapons meant.

"Sora, what are you doing? She hasn't attacked us yet!" Riku exclaimed, moving up beside his friend again. Sora shook his head.

"She's running. She could be hiding something. We can't afford to let her get away. Do you really want a repeat of what we went through?" Sora retorted, teeth gritted. Riku fell silent, not agreeing or disagreeing.

She stood on the branch, looking down at the pair that had boldly approached her. She had at first been curious as to what they were, but they were no different after all. They were trying to destroy her, just like the rest. In an instant, she lost interest.

Darkness gathered like a cloud beneath her branch, and the pair backed away, shocked.

"What is that?!" Sora exclaimed, holding his weapon at the ready. Riku gasped in surprise.

"Isn't that…a dark corridor?" Riku realized, barely able to finish his sentence before she stepped back off the branch and fell silently into it. It closed a second later, sealing the world between them.

.

.

.

This world she came into wasn't the quietest, but no one here bothered her. It was dark, and many strange figures inhabited the world. She could slip through the streets and the world with little notice. However, even these creatures here looked at her strangely when they saw her face. They never attacked, but they would slink away without a word, watching her with an expression she had learned to be of one the humans used when they didn't want her nearby. It was if they could tell what she was. _Monster_.

She moved across the courtyard and out the rusted metal gate, out of the town and into the fields beyond. Somewhere far off, something howled, and another thing wailed even closer. She continued on, ignoring it. As frightening as the creatures may appear in this world, they did not delve into violence like the humans did. She walked further out and crested a hill before going down. The bottom of the hill felt cool and a dense fog swirled about her ankles as she walked. She passed through a gate hanging open, unmoving in the absence of the breeze. She heard whispers all about her as she entered the poorly fenced hills, but she was unperturbed. There was no place in this world that was ever without noise, but it didn't bother her. She shut it out, and then all she heard was the noise of her light footsteps as she weaved her way through the stones thrusting through the earth.

She finally stopped as she reached a tomb entrance, cracked and aged, but still standing. With easy movements, she leapt from the top of a tombstone to the roof. She moved to the middle and eased herself down, looking up at the pitch black sky. Here, nothing ever changed. There were no seasons, no change in weather. It was as if this place was frozen in time. It reminded her of her own existence. Time meant nothing to her, because she found no meaning in anything. At times, something caught her interest, but it always faded. She found attachment to nothing and thus was endlessly wandering.

The nameless one lied back staring up at the dark sky. The moon was slowly rising on the horizon, casting a weak yellow glow across the fields. She lifted her hand and held it above her, observing it silently. If there was any such thing as boredom to her, she knew not how to name it. Instead, she would only remain still and listless, until she fell into darkness for a time. Her sleep was always short; she required very little. In these times, she did not dream. She didn't even know what dreams were.

But as she did lie there, she contemplated where she was from. Without a voice, the only noises from her were the powerful thoughts that swept through her mind, always centering back to the first moment she had opened her eyes. That was her moment of birth. She had breathed in her first breath and blinked for the first time there. Before that, there was nothing.

Why then, did those men speak of something far beyond what she knew? As if they knew her, but didn't. How could she have existed before her first memory?

She closed her eyes and delved back into the perfect clarity of her first memory, trying to push back further. But there was no going back further. This was her existence, and there had been nothing else.

Still, her dulled interest sparked to life again. She wanted to know what this Organization was, and why they thought she was part of it.

As she shifted slightly, the chain hanging from her coat slid off her shoulder and clattered as it hit the stone. She tilted her head and looked at it silently, observing its shiny coating and its engraved edges. It made noise when she ran, but she would not remove it. It had been the first thing she'd noticed as she woke into this world, and looking at it always brought a sense of utter silence about her, no matter how rampant her thoughts had become.

She reached over and picked it up, holding it above her. Her eyes glazed over, and her mind spiraled down into her memories, back to her first moment.

.

.

.

When she woke for the first time, she was sitting on the ground, leaning awkwardly against a tree. Her body was slumped, and a hood was covering her head and part of her face. At the angle she was lying, when her eyes came into slow focus, they were looking straight at a glinting object resting on her chest. She took in a deep breath, staring fixedly at it. It was shaped smooth on one side, but jagged on the other. She had an immediate confusion. Why was it not smooth on both sides? Was it broken? Where was the other half?

More importantly, who was she?

She moved her arms to the side and pushed herself up until her back was resting straight against the tree behind her. Her eyes moved slowly about, taking it all in. She didn't know where she was, or why. After a few moments of trying to recall something, she discovered her mind was completely blank. Had anything ever been there at all?

She took in a deep breath, reveling at the sound. There were sounds everywhere, and she listened intently, trying to understand. The trees moved gently about, as if alive. A soft hiss sounded continuously nearby, and she felt a sense of certainty that she knew what it was even though she could not name it.

She carefully stood, using the tree as a support. When her hand touched the bark, she paused and slid her hand down it, temporarily mesmerized. This world, she vaguely understood, though she had no memories. But for some reason, when she was discovering the physical aspect of it, it was becoming increasingly foreign to her. It shouldn't be. She knew this was a tree, but touching it made her feel a sense of uncertainty.

It was the same with the continuous noise so close to her. She instinctively knew what it was, but at the same time, she didn't. She moved between the trees, looking up through the treetops as she walked. The wind was moving them, creating a soothing rustling noise. As she stepped past the final tree, she froze, blinking her glowing eyes.

She knew this place immediately. She understood what everything was in front of her. Yet, there was still a sense of emptiness. This place she knew, but why? It was completely blank. She tilted her head and moved her gaze to the ocean, watching its waves hiss onto the shore smoothly. She looked at the pile of driftwood, stacked so carelessly in the middle of the small cove-like beach area. There were no memories of this place, only a built-in knowledge of its existence. Still, her attention remained fixated on the driftwood for a long time, as though it would hold some sort of answer for her.

Her feet finally moved, carrying her across the soft sand and past the driftwood pile. She left it behind, alone under the moonlight. The memories that could have resided there did not reveal themselves; they stayed still and silent, as voiceless as she was.

As she moved down the beach, she heard something that did not match the calm music of the beach. Her head swiveled about until she found the disturbance. In the darkness, she picked out two figures, sitting down in the sand several strides away. The noises she was hearing were coming from them for sure. Her interest grew and she took a few steps closer, making absolutely no noise as she approached.

The pair continued to chatter softly, laughing a second later. The nameless one froze, blinking rapidly. The odd noise was foreign to her, but she knew its name. Just as she could understand every word they were saying, though she didn't know how. The act of speaking seemed alien to her because she did not know how.

"…long as we're the only two here for even a minute, it doesn't matter if I get in trouble for this. I just wanted to see you so much. I couldn't wait until the sun came up again," one voice said, deep and smooth. The other one tilted its head.

"You can be such a sap sometimes. But that's one of the things I love about you," the other said, voice higher and sweeter. Their heads turned toward the edge of the beach, observing the waves as the nameless one had done not long before. She tilted her head, able to make out their figures perfectly. They were ordinary, of no threat or importance. But their words had woken a desire to end the silence of her own world as they did in theirs. She opened her mouth and tried to speak, but nothing came forth.

She blinked and tried again, but she was utterly voiceless. She couldn't speak at all. She looked up at the pair nearby. What was different in her and these two that they could utter such noises and she could not? They were humans; she instinctively knew that. But when she regarded herself, she had no name for herself or what she was. She looked away, deep in thought.

"Whoa-what the hell?" the young man suddenly exclaimed, and his companion turned to follow his gaze. They had spotted her standing a short distance away. To them, they only saw a hooded figure, standing silently in the darkness. When she turned and looked at them, the pair cried out in unison.

"Oh my g-….Leanord!" the girl exclaimed, reaching over and clutching her lover. The proclaimed 'Leonard' jumped to his feet, pulling her up with him.

"Run!" he yelled, pulling the girl with him. She watched them go, taking a few quick steps forward as though to pursue them. She barely comprehended the world around her, as though everything familiar had suddenly become foreign. The way she believed it was supposed to be, by some ingrained instinct, was completely wrong. It didn't make sense for her instincts to be wrong unless the world she knew had changed. Or she had.

But either way, that meant something different lay behind the darkness that was her wakening. She felt as though she had opened her eyes for the first time only minutes ago. Even then, she became suddenly very aware that there was something missing.

Her mind could barely comprehend it. She shook her head and lowered it, closing her eyes tight. She tracked back to her eyes opening and lighting on the silver half-heart pendant. She reached deep, searching for something more. All that came back to her was the silver charm that hung from her jacket. It was a slightly different color than the matching silver chains that hung from the collar. That meant it had been attached after the jacket had been created.

She stared at it, willing it to bring something back. Where had the charm come from? What did it mean?

Only silence greeted her. Her fists suddenly clenched, rousing her from her unfruitful thoughts. She felt the sudden urge to move, to leave and go elsewhere. She wasn't sure why the powerful urge overtook her, but she obeyed it without question.

She left the beach, stepping easily over a chain with a sign attached in the middle. She moved on, over stone streets and deeper into the city. She wandered between buildings, listening to the almost inaudible sound of her footsteps. The city was devoid of people, and she slowed, her restlessness remaining. She had not raced after the humans who had fled from her, and still she had eventually followed them here.

She found herself looking around carefully as she walked, growing more on edge. She was looking for anyone, as if she would gain a different result from interaction. When she thought about her inability to communicate with them, she felt herself grow more restless, unaccepting. She didn't understand why they made such odd expressions and ran from her.

Across the street, her attention focused as she saw something glinting. It had come to life only moments ago. Without hesitance, she approached quickly. With each step that brought her closer, the glint grew into a glow, growing larger at each moment. Her step faltered, moving slower as she realized she was approaching the glass window of a shop. The lights she had seen moved in unison with her, and her confusion grew. As she stopped only a stride away, she blinked and realized what it was.

It was her reflection. Her eyes were glowing an icy blue, visible from an incredible distance. That was all that seemed to exist in the darkness of the hood that covered her head. She reached out and touched the glass, staring into her own eyes intently. Had it been only her eyes that had made the humans flee from her? Their eyes certainly did not glow.

She reached her hands back and grasped the edge of her hood, hesitant to pull it off of her head and reveal the rest of her face to herself. As she began to move her arms back, her eyes flicked to the right as she caught movement reflected in the glass pane.

"Don't move! Stop right there!" a voice commanded, several paces away. She had been so lost in her own musings that she hadn't heard him approach. She listened to each step, very rapid and loud. She lowered her arms and the steps stopped. "Hey, I said don't move! Careful with your next move. Let's just stay calm, you stay right there, and we have a little chat, hmm? What are you doing out here, this late?"

She watched in the glass window as the figure approached more slowly, one arm held out to the side. He was dressed in a light blue, with a badge and lettering on his shirt. He wore an odd hat and had shiny black shoes on. She spotted a flashlight and something else hanging from his belt as her attention was drawn upward. She took in everything about his movements and the way his mouth was held in a flat, firm line. He was regarding her differently than the others, and that gave her hope. Forgetting his command, she turned around and faced him, struggling for her seemingly non-existent voice.

When she moved, the newcomer jumped in surprise that she had so blatantly disregarded his request. A second wave of shock flitted through him when the glowing eyes turned to pierce him. She watched his expressions change swiftly, growing more interested. The man took a step back, reaching both hands to his side as if he was grasping something there. His expression now matched those that she had encountered on the beach, and she waited for him to flee.

His entire body shook furiously, as if he was struggling to keep his legs from moving further back. His hands remained at his side, clutching something tight. She tilted her head, enraptured by this new person's reaction. She slid one foot forward, closing the distance. She wanted to get closer and observe his expressions more carefully. He matched her movement, though backwards. He kept the distance between them, opening his mouth again.

"What…the hell are you?" he whispered in terror, shivering. She perked up, listening. Even he did not know what she was; that meant she could not be the same as he. She opened her mouth and tried to speak, but no words left her. As she closed her mouth, the air from her lungs passed through her mouth, though not in silence. To her frustration, and his terror, it came out as a deep hiss.

Whatever was holding the man's panic in check snapped at the noise. His hands whipped around, drawing forth what she immediately recognized as a gun. He pointed it straight at her, though it wavered as he struggled to maintain control. She knew a gun meant danger, but she felt nothing as it was being pointed at her. She only tilted her head slightly, looking around the barrel to his face. His mouth was moving rapidly without noise coming forth. This caught her attention the most of all and she leaned forward, wondering if he had gone as voiceless as she was. Unable to contain her curiosity, she took another step forward.

A sound like thunder rang through the courtyard, and she retracted her step as something hit her hard in the shoulder. A small strangled sound came forth from her mouth. At the same instant, a pain lanced through her left side, stemming from the point of impact. She instinctively reached up and clutched it, trying to make it stop. To her confusion, her left leg buckled, and her knee slammed down hard onto the concrete. Her glowing eyes swiveled around to see red dripping down over her hand.

The police officer did not lower his gun. He had never intended to fire, but as the hooded figure had continued to advance on him with those glowing eyes, not speaking a word, he had panicked. Now he knew he had to get them to the hospital quick. Even as he thought this, the gun still remained aimed at the perpetrator. The mere presence of this person, with their strangely glowing eyes, raised the hair on the back of his neck. How could he approach them to give them aid? And what if…they weren't really a person after all?

He shook his head. It was late, and he was on edge at seeing them standing and gazing into the store in such strange clothing. It was probably some kid with strange contacts they had intended to frighten someone with. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to convince himself to lower the gun.

The blood suddenly stopped dripping. The pain ebbed away, and she lifted her hand carefully away from the wound. Her jacket sported a decent hole, exposing her flesh to the pale moonlight. As her hand pulled away, both she and the policeman witnessed something strange.

The wound was gone.

With the pain gone, she turned and focused on him again, unsure of her next move. The pain was undesirable, and she couldn't understand why he had caused something so terrible against her. She saw the expression on his face returning to the one that first made him attack, and she knew that's what it had to be. Their expressions then, controlled their actions?

The police officer stammered for a second as he began to back away. As she stood, still watching him with her blazing eyes, he spoke again.

"M-my God…you're a monster."

Then he emptied every bullet out of his gun.

This time she fell all the way to the ground as the police officer fumbled at his belt, searching frantically for his extra cartridge to reload his gun. Three more rounds had cut through her, while the other two had shattered the glass behind her. Her core had been struck, and she resisted the urge to curl up tight in the snowy powder of glass in the street. She rested, shivering, on her knees, watching as the blood spattered the concrete below her. She looked up slowly, regarding the police officer with a new found feeling. She no longer wanted to know of the humans. There was a wall between her and them; one that could only be breached by the humans as they reached across to strike her. It was a situation that would only bring about agony to her.

The restlessness had changed. This urge was more powerful; it was the strong desire to run and escape, like the humans before this one had done. Had they expected this pain from her? She wondered briefly if she was making a similar expression as those humans.

The officer found his bullets and shoved the clip into his gun, preparing to finish her off. The pain was still present, and she couldn't find the strength to stand and run. Instead she only stared up at the barrel, reaching out mentally for a way to escape.

As he pulled the trigger again, darkness took over her vision.

She felt a brief sense of falling, and she landed flat on her back, knocking the air from her lungs.

When she opened her eyes, it was still dark, and the pain had faded to a dull ache. She looked around slowly, and found she was no longer in the city. There was only darkness around her; one that even her shadow-unveiling eyes could not penetrate.

The pain faded completely and she sat up, unsure of what had made her fall. She stood slowly and blinked in the darkness, willing it to lift so that she could see where she was. As if in answer, she spotted a glimmer of light far ahead of her. She looked over her shoulder at the darkness, confused. If she was not in the city anymore, where was she? Did the police officer's actions have anything to do with where she was at now?

She moved carefully forward, well aware that her feet made absolutely no noise in this strange dark world. Even the soft glow from her eyes was swallowed by the impenetrable black around her. She moved boldly forward, not hesitating when the soft glow of the round doorway washed over her. She first reached a hand through, then followed with the rest of her body.

.

.

.

She sat up suddenly, swiveling her head around quickly. She rolled over and peered over the edge of the tomb, spotting the source of the disturbance easily. A werewolf was moving through the hills outside of the cemetery, growling softly as he spoke to a specter she could not see. She turned over and repositioned herself in the middle of the tomb roof. She looked up at the dark sky again, mind returning to her earlier musings.

It had been this world that she had stepped into. By desire alone, she had been able to traverse worlds by a power she still did not quite understand. It had only further proven to her that she was very different from not only the humans, but every other creature she had encountered. She had walked forward into this realm, utterly confused, and the inhabitants had looked at her with a different expression, but the same measure of separation. No others could step between worlds like her; and no matter how many she walked between, none of them accepted her.

She had become accustomed to this, but had regarded it no differently. She had no capacity within her to show the same expressions as the others. Whatever inside them made them act in such a manner according to their expressions was missing from her. All that was left inside her was the dull curiosity that kept her walking between worlds without attachment. Even so, she seemed to always find herself back in the world she had first woken into, standing on the beach and gazing out at the sea. Something about the place was different than all of the other worlds she had entered.

Abruptly, she closed her eyes and let herself drift off, casting away her thoughts as easily as the wind could move the sand. Sleep was brief, and uneventful; she did not dream. She had no idea that dreaming even existed. But her short time of rest came once every day, keeping track of every day that slipped past her non-aging body.

A few hours later, the werewolf howled far in the distance, on a hill that held him in the glow of the moon that had risen. She opened her eyes and breathed in deep, every trace of weariness gone from her. She lifted herself into a sitting position and reached down. She picked up her pendant and held it out in front of herself. She locked her eyes on it, gazing at it as she had the very first time she had woken. It had become a strange habit for her to look upon it at each wakening, as if it could bring back something about her past with the new day. When nothing came, her thoughts circled around one thought.

_Four hundred and thirteen. That's how many days it has been since I was born._


	2. From All Sides

Greetings! The story is coming together as I'm getting a feel for it.

It's hard for me to write Fyer this way (though very necessary), but I'm starting to get the hang of it and enjoy it, hopefully as much as you enjoy reading!

Again, I enjoy every review I receive. To those who send reviews as a "Guest", I cannot respond to because you have no account for which I can reply to. However, if you leave a nickname for me to discern each of you by, I will leave a special message for you (for a time) on my profile. :)

As always, thanks from the bottom of my heart for reading.

Enjoy!

.

.

.

As each hour ticked by, she let it pass without complaint. She had no home, and no desire to stay in one place for long. She walked the hills of this dark world, into castles and shacks crumbling into debris. The shadows moved of their own accord, and figures danced at the edge of her vision, always disappearing the moment she turned their way. Her eyes missed nothing, but nothing meant anything to her. She only wandered, with no end to her pathway.

This is what she had always done. These four hundred and thirteen days since she had been born, she had moved endlessly. No one welcomed her in, and many brought her pain in response to her mere presence. She did not long for anything. She was not sad or angry at being left on the outside looking in. She only moved by instinct, unaware that any other feeling could possibly exist. She was simply lost, without a way to ever be found.

She came upon a beast inside of a desolate castle, resembling a human. She paused and looked at it curiously, and it turned to face her as it noticed her presence. It hissed, baring long fangs and blood-red eyes. Instead of attacking, it only retreated into the shadows, keeping its distance from her. She blinked and moved on, interest instantly lost. Every world was repetitive; they either ran or attacked. So she continued to wander, forever restless.

As she stepped out of the castle doors and onward, her thoughts returned suddenly to the ones who had chased her here. They had been so much like the rest, and yet they had not. Something about them was different, but she couldn't understand why. She paused, balancing on a stone step that had begun to sink on one side. She considered returning to the human's world and seeking out her pursuers to satisfy her curiosity. But even as she thought it, she remembered the weapon that the one called Sora had brought forth. They had intended harm toward her. Though pain was one of the few things she felt, she found it utterly undesirable.

She suddenly looked over her shoulder, powerful hearing catching something shifting. The coating of dust and rubble from the crumbling castle doorway was crunched quietly under a gleaming black sole as another creature looked out at her. It was another of the human-like fanged creatures. Instead of hissing at her, he only stood quietly, watching with red eyes from the doorway. Though similar, this one was different. His face was smoother, flawless. He was tall and bore a head full of raven black hair that was swept carefully over one shoulder. She gazed back at him, waiting for the expected reaction. Instead, he smiled, bearing his fangs in a manner that wasn't all too friendly.

"What manner of creature are you?" he asked. His voice was deep and bold, holding no hint of fear. His face was visible, but it held an expression she could not read. She answered with silence, glowing eyes blinking as she waited. His eyes narrowed, but not in anger. She knew she was not like him; their eyes were blatantly different colors, and she did not have fangs. His black hair fell over one shoulder as he leaned forward, scrutinizing her. Her mind flashed back to the pair on the beach, demanding to know who she was. They had been calm until they approached and she had run. Then they had chased her into the woods, as no other had done before. Would this creature do the same?

If she had learned anything from each world she went to, it was that most creatures reacted the same to her. It didn't matter how frightening they may appear to others, or how frail. They always acted the same. It was something she had grown accustomed to and could easily assimilate to the situation properly. When a creature came close to her in such a neutral manner, like the pair of humans did not long ago, she felt lost again, like the first night the policeman had tried to kill her.

"Are you mute, my dear? Or simply too stunned to speak?" the creature continued, his smile changing as he hid his fangs. He took a step forward, further out into the moonlight. One foot settled down quietly outside of the doorway. The other followed, and she watched intently. Her eyes darted up to his expression, but she didn't understand it. She'd never seen one like it before.

"I'm curious…as to why a divine creature like you is in a world like this. Are you lost, my dear?" he asked softly, moving forward slowly. Each step was carefully placed. She tilted her head very slightly, confused. Despite his expression being new, her instincts were suddenly telling her to run. He had not attacked, and yet…

She took a step back, and this made him pause. She was hesitant to run; her instincts were warring with her logic. There had been no indication of intended violence. She wanted to stay and observe him, and learn this new expression. She ignored her instincts and remained still, watching him. He smiled again, baring his fangs to her once more.

"Lost or not, you have been found. I could tell from the second I laid eyes on you that you didn't belong here. How you even managed to wander yourself into this realm is beyond me. But that doesn't matter," he continued, red eyes suddenly growing more vivid in color. "What matters now, my dear, is how tantalizing that blood of yours is. Pray that it is not too sweet…or I may lose control and suck the life out of you."

That was the warning she had not expected. She knew then that her interest had been her folly. She reacted the instant he threatened her, but it was the same moment he did too. She was too focused on his expression, which had only confused her further when she should have been retreating.

She was completely unprepared for this. Before she could even take one step, his hand grasped her shoulder tight. His touch was icy cold, and she jerked away, unable to escape his surprisingly vice-like grip. She tried to pull away, turning her body away from him as she willed her legs to move, but his other hand came down on the other shoulder. He twisted her around to face him as he leaned forward, his flawless face suddenly distorting. His red eyes grew brighter, the angles and shadows on his face seemed to grow sharper and darker. When his jaw parted, his fangs seemed to have grown, barely fitting in his mouth. He tilted his head to one side, preparing to descend onto her throat.

She brought her arms up abruptly, striking his elbows. It was easy to see he hadn't been expecting that much strength in retaliation from her. He lost his grasp on her shoulders and she immediately slipped back before he could reassert his position. He snapped his mouth shut, though she didn't know how with such long fangs. She retreated, racing across the stone steps to the bottom of the hill. She glanced back to see him lift up into the air, floating on a peculiar cloud of darkness. His expression had changed to one she knew very well.

"My, my, what a troublesome creature you are. Such innocence in your gaze hides the power you hold. How many victims have you taken with such an incredible display?" he mused, eyes glowing now.

_Victims? Innocence in my gaze? What do his words mean?_

Her curiosity slowed her attempt to escape, and the vampire noticed immediately. She was still ignorant in many things because she could not speak, and few spoke to her. Her gaze met his and she reluctantly cast her curiosity aside. She focused on moving, and the desire to leave this place.

The vampire swept about, suddenly cutting off her route. She halted swiftly, stumbling back. The black cloud disappeared and he dropped gracefully to his feet, staring her down with blazing red eyes.

"Perhaps that innocence in your gaze is true…you look so terribly lost. It is this purity, perhaps, that draws me. Surrender yourself, so that I might taste of this pure blood that courses through your veins," he persuaded, the odd altering of his face hidden for the moment; the deep shadows were gone and he was pale and flawless once more. His expression had gone back to the one she didn't recognize, which confused her even more. In one instant, he had intended harm, and now she couldn't tell what he was going to do. He moved closer, and she moved back, focusing again on the desire to leave. Only this ever opened the tunnel between worlds for her, but only if she was able to concentrate for long enough.

The vampire was not leisurely in his movements. In one instant, he was several strides away, and the next there were only inches between them, staring her down.

"Stand still, my dear. Do not run from me. It will only hurt for a moment…and then there will be naught but bliss," he promised, grasping her shoulders like before. Instead of lunging for her throat again, he went slower, watching her carefully as he leaned in. Up until now, she had relied on observation of body language to determine the actions of her adversaries. It seemed now that none of what she learned was proving to be true in the face of this creature. All she felt now was the powerful instinct to put distance between them. She forgot her earlier fight to bury it behind her curiosity. Though silent, it consumed her senses until all she knew was that urge.

He was prepared when she retaliated this time. He lifted his arms and twisted around her attack, ending up at her side and out of range. She recoiled and he followed, clawed hands snagging the collar of her coat and causing the hood to fall from her head. She gasped as it tightened around her neck and grabbed his wrist, trying to break away. He released her collar, and she lunged away, but his other arm was waiting. When she had been focused on disentangling herself from one hand, the other had been waiting to catch her. It wrapped around her chest, dragging her to a rough halt. One arm was instantly pinned, and she swung the other around to strike the culprit limb.

The moment she turned her head to direct her attack, the vampire leaned the opposite way. As her hand came down to strike his imprisoning arm, it moved. That hand came up and caught her just under her jaw, tightening until she couldn't turn her head. The other arm came about, pinning both of her arms this time. As she struggled fiercely to retaliate, the hand holding her jaw jerked aside, tilting her head until her neck was fully exposed. Before she understood what he was doing, she felt his icy breath caress her shoulder a second before it happened.

Needles of ice seemed to enter her skin, plunging deep into her core. Pain emanated there, growing until it engulfed her senses. The hands holding her clenched, claws digging into her skin as the violent creature's jaws tightened on her throat. She felt blood drip down onto her collarbone, underneath her jacket. His fangs were buried deep in her skin, draining the life out of her as he had warned. After her initial shock faded, she shielded her mind from the pain long enough to get ahold of her senses.

With what strength she still had, she lifted her arms, unhinging his with surprising ease. She brought her elbow back sharply, connecting with his rock-like chest. With a hiss, he opened his mouth, allowing her to jerk away and out of his lethal embrace. She stumbled forward, whirling to face him. Her hands went to her throat, shaking. Her hands touched his bite mark, shocked. What was this creature that he was doing this to her?

Her adversary clutched his chest, though did not look entirely displeased. He was not smiling, but there was an odd look in his eyes that she felt replaced it. His lips were red, and tiny droplets were splattered against his flawless skin. He was shivering, at though a chill had suddenly taken him.

"As I thought," he whispered, eyes still smoldering a powerful red. "Your innocence reaches your very core…and thus your blood is absolutely irresistible."

She lowered her arms, hands stained red. This creature wanted her blood, but to what end? She didn't understand. All she knew was that it caused pain, and a desire to flee a degree worse than she had ever felt it. The vampire's eyes slid over to her neck again before they widened.

"My…you're quite special aren't you? Healed so quickly…and without transformation. How is it that my venom has not paralyzed you and dragged you into the darkness with me? Are you already in the darkness, my dear?" he mused in interest, eyes narrowing seductively. She shivered suddenly, concentrating on her way out. "It makes me want to pierce your skin again just to watch you bleed."

Her eyes narrowed as he came forward again, fangs stained red. She felt the disturbance in the air behind her and took a quick step back, into the pitch black ripple that had bloomed behind her. The vampire paused, only arm's length away from her. His expression was taught before it relaxed a second later, into something she didn't recognize, but gave her chills all the same.

"May you one day forget…and wander back into this world…straight into my arms," he hissed, red eyes glowing brighter as the portal closed between them, sealing him out forever.

To her confusion, her legs suddenly buckled, lowering her to the floor of the dark road that led between worlds. She breathed in deep and forced herself to stand, ignoring the odd weakness in her legs. Here she was safe; nothing existed in this dark world with her. She had often escaped here when she was attacked, and had instantly recovered. Not this time, though. She still felt as if his powerful gaze was still upon her.

For some reason, that creature had been different. In the way he had approached her, she hadn't known how to act. But more than that, there had been that _feeling_. Something she hadn't felt before. It had brought a dark foreboding into her mind, as if she knew what was about to happen, despite the fact she had never been in such a situation before.

That she could remember, anyway. Could it be, that somewhere in the darkness behind her wakening, she had faced this creature, or something similar? Something that wanted to cause her pain, and took such…_pleasure_ in doing so?

She turned until she spotted the light and began to walk toward it. She had pondered her existence endless times, and questioned the possibility of days that lay before these she had counted. No matter what questions she asked herself, there were never any answers. Silence was all she really knew, and had grown numb to everything else. As soon as she reached the end of the tunnel, her questions had dissolved away and she had forgotten them, as she always did.

She stepped out of the darkness and narrowed her eyes as she adjusted to the powerful degree of light. The world she had thrown out a blind pathway to was bright and hot. All around her was sand and shimmering air as the heat rose off of the sunbaked ground. Her eyes swept across rocks and hills until she spotted a city within tall stone walls nearby. A tall wooden gate that stood open was the only way in that was leisurely. At the top of the gateway, painted in blue read "Agrabah". The tall walls were meant to keep out the brunt of sandstorms and intruders, but were no match for her if she desired to enter.

She turned and scanned the area, finding nothing else of interest. When she looked at the city again, she hesitated. Would the creatures here react the same as the last few she had encountered? If so she wasn't sure if she would be ready again. She could no longer rely on the facial expressions she had observed for so long.

After several minutes of silent pondering, she went forward, confident that she would be safe here. The last few encounters had merely been an unusual occurrence; surely it would not happen again.

She reached the gates and neared a thin stream of people passing through. They were dressed in loose clothes, most keeping their faces and head covered for protection from the sunlight. All had beautiful black hair, and wore colorful, glinting jewelry. Some were exiting and walking around the wall, toward a beautiful spring she had not previously noticed. Those coming in were toting packs, riding in wagons, or simple entering unburdened as they chatted leisurely with others. At her presence, the crowd grew quieter and they edged further apart, creating a rift in the stream of people where she was.

This brought her peace. They were reacting to her as usual, and she had nothing to be concerned about any longer. She moved forward under the suspicious eyes of the guards. Her first step into the city was greeted with a spear thrust into her path.

"Halt! I need to see your-"

His words caught in his throat in a strangled gasp when she turned her head to look at him.

"…eyes," he finished finally, taking a few steps back before repositioning his spear. Now the sharp point was aimed right for her, quivering in his grasp. He called out something in a language she didn't understand, and glanced up as the other guards were suddenly focused on them. She took a quick look over her shoulder as another guard approached more cautiously, holding a rather large, curved sword. Her eyes followed him as he approached, then over his shoulder as she spotted something on the wall.

Drawn very carefully on a beige parchment was a hooded figure, with the face half shrouded in darkness. The half of the face that was in darkness was indiscernible except for one detail that made her realize who it was; a small half-moon shape was all that was visible under the hood. It was her.

On the top of the page, she read lettering swiftly:

_**Caution! If seen, approach carefully. Female Nobody, age and name unknown. Can be identified by glowing eyes. Wanted for strong possibility of association with Organization Xlll. **_

Her eyes slid to the bottom of the paper.

_**Strength and powers not known; use extreme caution to detain to avoid injury. Wanted alive. Apprehend and bring immediately to an emissary of King Mickey**_.

She understood now. The pair of humans she had encountered had mentioned this 'King Mickey'. Since she had dodged out of their reach, somehow they had been able to warn the other worlds about her. They were going to approach her just like the blood-sucking creature in the previous world, and try to take her under. Several more guards were coming, bearing the large swords. They all looked at her with the expression that always depicted violence was coming. She narrowed her eyes, closing the glowing circles into a slit within her hood. They paused, hesitant, and she acted.

Her legs bent slightly and she jumped, leaping clear over the soldiers. She landed behind a row of them with ease. The circled carefully, coming forward. They were in no hurry, only moving at a walking pace as she backed away. She glanced back and saw nothing but desert behind her, calculating her next move. The guards that had been following her suddenly retreated, toward the gate. She stopped in her fleeing and watching in confusion.

At that moment, she heard the air fill with whistling and glanced up, searching for the source. She could see numerous soldiers had appeared on the top of the wall, their silhouettes plain against the bright sky. Her eyes narrowed as hundreds of dark blotches filled the sky, descending down onto her. She started to back away again before she realized she would not be able to get out of range in time. She dropped to one knee and jerked her hood forward, lifting one side of her jacket over her head to shield herself.

It did little good. She flinched under her shelter as scores of needles pierced through and into her. In the silence that followed, she straightened, letting her jacket fall back into place. The prickling pain still remained, and she looked down, blinking as she studied the surprising amount of blue-tipped darts standing along her limbs. With a quick glance back, she saw there were dozens more stuck in her back. Her attention refocused as the guards came forward again, with the same unhurried rhythm. She tilted her head, unsure of their intentions. They couldn't have possibly believed this could truly hurt her; what was their true intent?

They came within several paces and she lowered her head, tensing. They halted and waited, glancing across at each other impatiently. They began casting words at each other quickly in their language, gesturing toward her with their swords. She watched them for a moment longer before she grew disinterested and started to turn away. She summoned her dark tunnel amid surprised cries and took one step when something odd happened.

The world suddenly grew dimmer. The land seemed to tilt and she lost her balance. She fell to one knee, one hand dropping to the sand quickly to catch herself. After a second of recovery, she stood once more, trying to understand what had happened. Before she could understand, it happened again, and the world grew even darker. She discovered she could barely keep her eyes open.

The guards chose this time to advance, circling in formation until she was completely surrounded. Her black portal shimmered and vanished before her flickering eyesight. Her body shook as she forced herself to stand, unable to straighten completely. Her muscles did not want to comply. Her body cried out for cease of movement, but she refused. It was not her time to enter into her restful darkness. This was wrong.

"How can she still be standing? The medicine she's gotten into her system could have taken down an entire herd of cattle!" one guard hissed, watching her with wide eyes. He was still speaking his native tongue, she knew. Yet for some strange reason, in her half-conscious state, she could understand it.

"She's a Nobody, right? I've never seen one before. Are they all like this? This powerful?" another asked, looking to his companions for insight. She focused her movements and took a step forward, intending to leap over them again. When she bent her legs, they collapsed.

"She's going down. Get it ready," one called out, dressed slightly more colorful than the rest. He must be the leader. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a group of new soldiers coming forward with something. She turned and scanned what they were bringing closer, trying to understand it. Were those…chains?

_STAY AWAY FROM ME._

Something deep inside stirred, raising its head somewhere in the darkness she was not fully aware of. Somewhere back in the memories that did not exist, it woke, igniting a fire within her chest. Her breathing grew faster, and the dim world began to brighten a little more. She felt a burning strength enter her limbs, defying the poison that was meant to bring her down. She was surrounded, by these men with their weapons and their chains, and it brought forth a sensation she had not known before.

Before, in the face of violence, she only wanted to step back, out of its cursed reach. But now, as it surrounded her, suffocating her, she did not desire to run anymore. She desired something else, and it gnawed at her insides like a furious beast hungering for release.

As her breathing grew more ragged, there was a sudden noise that escaped her mouth she did not know she was capable of. The sound shocked the men around her, and they all collectively took a step back, eyes widening. She gritted her teeth as she stood tall at last, a rumbling noise filling her chest as she faced her aggressors. This new urge engulfed her, guiding her actions as she surrendered to it.

"What do we do? The medicine isn't doing anything!" one soldier exclaimed, looking as if he was about to bolt. The leader lowered his sword, staring at her silently for a moment as another terrifying growl came out of her mouth.

"We have no choice. She is enraged. The medicine is in her bloodstream. We have to fight her until she grows too tired to resist the sleep anymore. Ready yourselves!" he commanded, to the dismay of his uneasy soldiers.

As they lifted their blades defensively, she spun about, eyes piercing each of them in turn. She wanted them to stay away from her, but she knew that wasn't going to happen. She did not possess the strength to run away from them now; instead she was cornered and on edge.

The commander glanced about at his men, who had not moved forward, and braced himself. He would have to make the first move, and they would follow.

When he lunged forward, he was stunned when she whirled about to face him. The butt of his spear jabbed outward, missing her ribs as she dodged aside. She reached out and snagged it, using his momentum to drag him forward and off his feet. When he hit the sand, with her behind him, she narrowed her eyes menacingly as she started at him. The other guards found their bravery as they saw their leader in danger and charged.

The group pressed in, quickly closing the space between them. The closer they got, the more agitated she became. Once upon a time, she had been curious and welcomed the approach of the creatures she knew so little about. Now she wanted them all to stay away from her. She had seen and felt enough pain and abandonment from them that she had lost all interest in trying to communicate with the world around her.

Since she couldn't run, she could only do the next best thing. If she could not leave, and they refused to let her be, she would extinguish them.

The first guard that came within reach was unfortunate. As he extended his spear to strike her, she lunged for him. She bypassed his weapon and wrapped both hands around his throat. With a movement as swift as the wind, she turned and threw him roughly against three of his comrades.

A cry rang out as a rather large warrior rammed the hilt if his sword against her temple, nearly felling her. As she stumbled forward, she turned to face him. She corrected her position and retaliated, grabbing the bare blade with one hand and his wrist with the other. The metal cut cruelly into her palm, streaming red down his blade, but she took no heed. The man cried out in agony as her grip crushed his wrist, rendering his hand completely useless. When he doubled over, she switched her footing and slammed her shoulder into his, throwing him onto his back.

No matter how many she threw down, injured, or knocked back, when she went forward to finish one off, there were others there to pull her back or distract her. Instead of growing tired like they had hoped, the flame in her chest only grew hotter, consuming her. She knew this charade was to tire her, and she wanted it to end. However, she wasn't getting anywhere with these cohorts. She turned suddenly and sought out the leader, which several were crowded around to protect. There was the cataclysm that would end this tirade. They were so desperately trying to keep her busy and away from him, he must somehow be the switch that would shut everything down. If she felled him, would the others disperse? She believed so.

Ignoring the rest, she came for him, eyes slicing into him even past the several that crowded around in front as she approached. She refused to take her eyes off of him. Her body trembled with the urge to see him fall once more. She would end this.

At seeing their leader threatened, many dropped their harmless attacks and drew their swords, baring the sharp points threateningly at her. She slowed, eyes reluctantly moving to the new challenge. The leader raised his hand.

"No- do not injure her. She is a Nobody. They are blinded by their own emptiness. She is reacting only by instinct. Suppress her until the medicine takes its effects," the leader ordered, though few lowered their weapons. For a second, the flames flickered and her eyes focused on him again.

He continued to call her a Nobody. Not a monster. Is that what she truly was? _He knows what I am?_

Without thinking, she took a step forward, far too close to a nervous soldier still bearing his weapon in lethal position. She stepped within range and he thrust forward.

When the blade was about to slice her arm, time seemed to slow. Her eyes cut straight to her attacker, blazing back to life. She had nothing of the like to block or retaliate. All she had were her hands. Her eyes narrowed.

A dark cloud of smoke burst before her eyes, engulfing her arm where the blade was about to stab in. Time returned to normal speed, and she felt the impact…but no pain.

The warrior stepped back, holding his quivering blade in one hand. She looked down slowly to see a weapon floating between them. It was this object that had obstructed the attack from the warrior. On first glance, it was a sword, curved like her attackers'. The back of the sword was jagged like a saw, with a small enclave behind the tip, forming an almost pronged end. The pommel was curved on the end as well, sporting the same indent as the tip of the blade. When she reached out, the blade shimmered a translucent blue before it drifted obediently into her grasp. As soon as her hand closed around it, she knew the blade as though it were an extension of her own body. This was _hers_; it was a mysteriously ingrained instinct.

She gripped the hilt tight and felt the flames burn hotter still, urging her onward. The weapons that these foes held had barely stood against her bare hands. Now, with this blade that had come at her subconscious bidding, they stood little chance.

The one who had nearly stabbed her was too terrified to realize his folly until she turned against him first. She charged forward, slashing out faster than any eye could see. His blade was sliced clean in half, the rest of it falling out of his nerveless fingers. Before she could do any more, he began to retreat, followed by several others.

Her glowing eyes swung back to face the leader, not having forgotten him. She swept forward, slashing left and right as the warriors came to stop her. Most of the damage was to their weapons, and few actually came away wounded because of their caution. When they realized she meant true harm, many backed away, realizing a second later that she now stood before their leader.

Unlike his orders, he held his sword up defensively, threatening her if she came any closer. Halfway through the battle, something in her had snapped, and he no longer faced the tranquil creature he had seen. This was something more like the Organization once had; and because of that, she had to be stopped. He hadn't wanted to hurt her, but now it was unavoidable. He was staring death in the face.

There was no facial expression to decipher. It was utterly blank, the only sign of her rage the heavy breathing. Her eyes bore only the luminous ferocity that was too powerful to discern anything from. She was as readable as a mirror; he could not see past his own fear.

Without warning, she came forward, blade held out to her side. He stepped in the direction away from it, to an angle he hoped she would have difficulty attacking from. He held up his own weapon in defense, bracing for the impact.

The tip of her blade struck the center of his, shattering it into a thousand pieces. The shards flew like shrapnel, causing the advancing rescuers to fall into a painful confusion. The leader himself fell to the sand, unable to feel his numbed hands. He looked up, squinting into the sun as her shadow fell over him. All he could see was her hooded silhouette, bristling with the dozens of darts that had failed to put her down. She looked like a monster out of a fairy tale.

She did not hesitate when she reached him. She withdrew for momentum, then swung.

The world seemed to fall silent. The warriors stood, frozen, neither fleeing nor approaching. No one spoke. The only thing that moved was the fluttering hearts in the warriors who stared at the horrifically powerful Nobody.

She wasn't moving either. The tip on her blade was a centimeter from the party leader's throat, unmoving. At the last spare second, the flames had died. In place of the terrible burning was an emptiness, one that she had lived with for days that she meticulously counted. Only now in the aftermath of her ferocity was she aware of her own hollow self. The leader was looking up at her, in utter disbelief.

The weapon dissolved in smoke, drifting into nothingness out of her hand. With it left all of her desires to see the men lying dead in the sand around her. The very thought of it now repelled her. She blinked twice and straightened, still looking into the eyes of the one kneeling before her. As the last of her fury ebbed away, the blanket of weariness returned, threatening to take her under. When her shoulders slumped and she appeared to be close to collapsing, the leader drew himself forcefully out of his shock.

Before he could issue any orders, she took a step back, closing her eyes for a long second as she concentrated. With what little strength she had left, she called on a portal to open for her. Injured men were all around her, and the sight of their expressions only drove her to keep going. As soon as the darkness bloomed, she rushed in, blocking out shouts of surprise as it sealed shut behind her.

She moved drunkenly through the darkness, struggling to keep the sleep from taking her. She brushed her arms across herself, dislodging the poisoned darts as she went.

When she exited the portal she had desperately called, she felt a familiar terrain. She looked up through her hazy vision to see a moon gazing back at her. She reached out for support and found nothing. She fell forward, barely catching herself above the soft sand. She held herself there for a long moment, fighting.

Not here. She couldn't sleep here. _They_ were here.

In her desperation to escape, she had brought herself back to the place she always returned to when she wanted to ponder her existence. Her mind had subconsciously seen this as her safe place, forgetting the foes that had pursued her here.

She lifted a hand, trying to focus her thoughts on opening the portal once again, but nothing answered. As she stared out, the darkness did not come between her and the softly whispering ocean. Her power had abandoned her in the last throes of her fight to keep the slumber at bay.

_If I sleep now…how many days will pass? I will lose track of the only thing I know._

She was cruelly introduced to the feeling of helplessness as her strength left her. She collapsed on the sand, eyes shutting on their own accord. Against her struggling will, she slept.


	3. Losing Track

Greetings! This is a short one, but I figured enough crazy stuff happened to keep you busy for a while (winkety-wink).

I think the whole, leave your name, I leave you a message on my profile thing works pretty well, so I'll continue doing it. I love hearing your thoughts and feedback. I also thank you for taking time to read my story. It spurs me onward.

Continue, then, into the heart (or lack therof) of Fyer's tale!

.

.

.

.

.

"…sending a pathway now with others to aid us on the journey back. It can get dangerous in the Dark Corridors if you don't have protection. Should be soon. We wasted a lot of time finding her, but with all the darts she had in her…I doubt she'll be waking up any time soon."

She could hear voices. Her groggy mind shook itself as it began to wake, not quite reaching control of her body. Not even her eyes obeyed her command to open. She was forced to only listen from the suffocation darkness.

"We just saw him earlier, and he gave us the Heart Detection chains. If she's a Nobody, she won't be able to break out of them. Why is he so worried that he's sending extras to help us? He needs to just open the corridor and let us come through. Waiting here like this is making me nervous," a second voice responded, sparking a sense of familiarity. As they continued, she began to wake, little by little as her senses broke free of the after-effects of the tranquilizers.

"Whatever happened in Agrabah has him on edge. When we first met her, she just outran us and escaped. They got a hit in with the darts…and she must have reacted," the first voice pointed out, and she recalled the speaker; Sora.

"Maybe so. I dunno…she just seemed so out of touch with the world. She doesn't seem like the others were. You think she's hiding her true side from us?" Riku asked, unsure. He wasn't entirely convinced. As her sense of touch returned, she felt something pressing against her. Before she could move away from it, she realized that it wasn't just touching her wrist. It was touching her everywhere. Something was criss-crossed over her chest, wrapping around her and holding her arms against her. Something was tight around her ankles too, ready to prevent her from running.

Her muscles tensed under the oppression, finally free of the darkness. Her eyes opened, casting their glow out into the night. The pair that had been conversing nearby jumped in fright.

"Hell! How is she awake?!" Rikue cried, hesitant to approach. Sora was less apprehensive and came closer, looking down at her. Her eyes locked on his and she tried to move, finding it impossible. The 'chains' he spoke of were more like ropes. Though they felt relatively weak, they kept her at bay with their hidden strength. Sora paused a few steps away as she stopped struggling, shaking.

Her immobility was causing something to stir within her again. This oppression was prodding the beast even she could not see, stoking the embers of her last aggressive actions. Even if it filled her empty void, she did not want these feelings again. The burn of them only made the emptiness more potent when they faded, leaving her colder than before.

It was the same feeling of suffocation she had felt when she was cornered. A voice that could not escape her mouth came to the surface, echoing in her mind.

DON'T COME NEAR ME. LET ME GO. DON'T TOUCH ME.

She began to shiver, glowing eyes becoming brighter even as she narrowed them. She didn't want this. This terrible feeling that engulfed her when she had seen the chains in Agrabah had been harrowing enough. Now, to be in them, helpless…

"Don't worry, we're not going to hurt you. We had to do this to keep you from running off. I know you don't want to come with us, but you have to. If you know anything about Organization Xlll, you'll understand," Sora explained calmly, pointing toward her. He indicated where her hands were bound against her chest. "That little glass jewel in the middle? It would be lit up if you had a heart, and the chains would not be holding you in place. But there is no light. This is all the proof we need."

_I don't have a heart? What…is a heart? _The tranquil voice asked; the one that sought only peace and solitude. It returned as he took a step back and looked over at his companion. For an instant, her mind was withdrawn, suffocating the flames that had begun to grow.

"Do you think she even knows what that means? It's hard to tell if she can even understand us," Riku asked, coming a little closer to get a better look. "The Organization members I remember were more…verbal. And angry."

Her eyes focused again as Riku closed the distance, watching tensely. She wanted them to stay away from her. No good ever came from contact with other creatures. The silent and solitary life she had known before had left her restless, but perhaps it had been better before she was aware of this terrible emptiness within her. Each time those creatures came closer, the flames burned hotter and the hole grew larger, pushing her toward the edge.

_Please stay away from me_.

She pulled against the bindings again, refusing to stay trapped. There was no reason these things could keep her here. She simply would not allow it. If they came too close to her, she knew there would only be pain again. The pair focused on her again as she struggled, glowing eyes staying pinned on them.

"Maybe she doesn't. I just told her she can't break them. They were engineered to hold back even the most powerful of the Nobodies," Sora commented, watching her with caution. She tugged hard, and to their surprise, one of the bindings moved, over her shoulder and against her throat. Now it was only tighter, and she felt the sudden pressure forcing the breath out of her. She tilted her head back, forcing the binding lower, though no less suffocating.

"Ah, freaking hell. She's gonna choke herself," Riku said suddenly, glancing over at Sora. "Is there anything we can do to put her out again?" Sora shook his head.

"I don't have anything. She shouldn't even be awake right now. King Mickey was counting on that," Sora pointed out, reaching out as Riku started forward. "What are you doing?"

"I'm moving the chain. She's having trouble breathing. I don't like sitting to the side and watching people suffer," Riku responded, unable to take a step before his friend grabbed his shoulder.

"She's not a person, or did you forget that? Have you forgotten?" Sora exclaimed, receiving an irritated glare.

"No, I haven't. I don't think I'll ever forget about what happened. But the Nobody I'm looking at right now I've never seen before. She hasn't done anything to us. If she's suffering, I'm going to help her," Riku retorted, brushing his friend's hand off of his shoulder before he continued forward.

She tilted her head back down as she heard footsteps coming closer and not slowing. Her eyes locked on Riku, willing his legs to stop.

_No no no no no…._

She jerked her shoulders, trying to force the chains off to free her hands. She was completely defenseless. She fought to keep the flames at bay, but with each step Riku took toward her, they were stoked until her control began to shatter. She began to shiver uncontrollably, barely able to focus on slipping her hands free. The binding against her throat was completely forgotten. Riku slowed, blinking.

"Why is she shaking so much?" Riku asked suddenly, hesitant now. Sora shook his head.

"You're scaring the hell out of her. If you were tied up like that, unable to understand anything, wouldn't you be a bit freaked out too?" Sora pointed out, tempted to call his friend back. But that wouldn't help; Riku would press on if Sora tried to drag him backwards. He crossed his arms, waiting impatiently. Riku raised his hands in defense, showing her he was unarmed.

"It's alright. Not here to hurt you. Let me help you out there," Riku promised, taking another step. She closed her eyes, trying to silence the voice that longed to burst free of her. Since it could not be spoken, it echoed in her head, repeating until all she knew was that heat that consumed her.

DON'T TOUCH ME.

Riku was standing at her side now. She twisted in the embrace of the Heart Detection chains, begging them to set her free. Her breathing grew ragged, escaping her in short bursts. Sora uncrossed his arms and looked at his friend in alarm. He was about to speak when Riku reached toward her. Her eyes cut across the approaching limb and her soft breath turned into something more savage.

Riku straightened and stumbled back, shocked.

"Holy hell," he gasped, taking a few extra steps back for good measure. Sora sighed.

"I told you not to go over there…now are you satisfied? She's not like us," Sora reiterated, motioning for Riku to come back. Instead, he stayed where he was, observing her quietly. Her widened eyes were on him, waiting for him to come close again. The growls had subsided and she focused now on trying to break free of the chains that were beginning to suffocate her.

"I don't understand why she's like this. It's almost like…like no one taught her anything. Like she was never around any of the others. Is that…could that be possible? I mean, someone had to give her the coat," Riku rambled, looking away as he thought. "She does traverse worlds. She could have somehow made it into their Castle…"

"That's not possible. It was accessible only by the Organization members. If she wasn't one, she couldn't have gotten in, which brings us back to the original point. She IS part of the Organization. We just don't know exactly what the point of her existence is yet," Sora cut in, caught up in Riku's ramblings.

While the two were conversing, she was burning inside. She was too vulnerable. She couldn't do anything in this state, and had been unable to move as Riku had nearly touched her. She had to get away from them. She jerked at the bindings again, putting all her strength into resisting them. After a few movements, the off centered chain managed to slide up again, over her throat once more. An unintentional gasp came out of her mouth, and the two friends stopped in their conversing to look at her.

"There she goes again," Riku said weakly, looking at her with extreme hesitation. He took a step forward.

"Riku, are you crazy? Didn't you learn the first time?" Sora cried out, coming toward his friend in an arc to avoid approaching her. Riku looked over.

"She just surprised me the first time; I'm fine. She can't strike me. All I'm going to do is keep her from choking to death, alright?" Riku reassured, beginning his cautious movement forward. She watched him getting closer, not understanding his persistence. Why was he coming closer? What was he going to do?

She couldn't let him touch her. She wouldn't.

Her anxiety grew unbearable and she felt the heat rise, charring her insides.

I WILL NOT BE HELD DOWN, HELPLESS. NOT AGAIN. The voice within her snarled fiercely, igniting her movements as she tore at the chains.

_Again?_ her mind asked, drowned a second later with the instincts that were poisoning her thoughts. Everything was erased until all she could see was her retaliation against the imposer. The hand that reached for her would be forever scarred, if only she could break free.

"Riku," Sora called out uneasily, though his friend ignored him. She watched him close in, hand coming closer to her. She couldn't bear it any more. She surrendered herself to the flames.

The gem embedded in the chains suddenly blazed to life, growing brighter than the sun. Before even a second passed, it shattered with a piercing shriek, blinding them momentarily. The chains around her tore like paper as she thrashed, pulling her limbs free. With a swift motion, she shoved herself off of the ground, turning as she leapt to her feet. Her coat swept about, flinging sand out like a wave as she settled in a crouched position, one hand on the ground to keep her balance.

Riku backed away to his friend, Sora, stunned. Sora narrowed his eyes.

"You're right. She's not like them," Sora said softly, holding out a hand to his side cautiously. "I don't think it's cause for celebration."

"Sora," Riku whispered, still recovering from her shock. "The stone, it…how could she break free? Even the Superior, even the most powerful Nobody we faced…it was made to overpower even him. That means the power she has…"

She wasn't running. When she was like this, there was no thought of fleeing in her mind. All that plagued her thoughts were the images of _them_ running from her with those expressions every creature should have when they faced her. And when she reached them, her blade would soon follow.

As if hearing her command, her weapon appeared in a shimmering cloud of darkness, spinning until the hilt landed in her free hand.

"Where's the corridor King Mickey said he was sending?" Sora cried, glancing over his shoulder. He didn't want to show it, but he was nervous. He had faced all those Nobodies, all those monsters…he didn't want to do it again. What he was faced with, he wasn't sure. All he knew was that this wasn't going to end well either way.

"He didn't count on her being awake. We're on our own for now. Sora…what should we do?" Riku asked in a hushed voice, intimidated by her strange stillness. She was still in the crouched position, frozen. Sora shook his head slowly, unsure.

"We can't let her get away…but I don't know if we can take her on by ourselves," Sora responded finally, unable to tear his eyes away. "Let's just wait. She's not doing anything right now…it's almost like she sees us as a threat and she's just defending herself. Doesn't she understand how powerful she is?"

The waiting was unbearable. Her muscles itched for movement, and he fist clenched tighter around the hilt of her blade. Every second that passed was eating away at her as the flames burned. The sooner she satisfied them, the sooner they would die. When she tensed, Riku saw it and drew his blade into his hand, retrieving from what appeared to be nothing. Her eyes locked onto him first.

Sand flew back when she started forward. Sora barely had time to register what was happening when the two clashed. The sound of their blades grinding together as they met was terrifying. She was surprised when his weapon didn't snap like the other warriors' she had faced. She drew back and he followed, putting force against her blade. With a growl, she turned, tilting her blade so that the pressure was now on her left side. Riku leapt to the side as he realized it had left him wide open, thwarting her next attack.

By this time, Sora had drawn his own weapon. Seeing his friend at risk had brushed away all thoughts of doubt. No matter what, he was going to be at Riku's side, even if the odds were stacked blatantly against them. He swept around from the side as the pair struggled for the upper hand. He knew King Mickey had asked to keep her unharmed, but that was impossible now. He couldn't stand idly by.

When he swung, her attention did not stray from Riku. She lifted one hand from her blade handle and caught his by the point, halting his strike without even a flinch. He tugged it free and she finally turned her powerful gaze to him. She slipped back a step, nearly throwing Riku off balance with the unexpected move. She pulled the blade away from their conflict and swung it at Sora instead.

Sora grunted as he lifted his blade to meet hers, shocked when the force from the blow threw him back. Her eyes blazed brighter. If she had been holding back before, she wasn't now. When she turned her back, Riku went forward, arcing his sword around. He brought it up as quickly as he could, reaching around with his other hand the grab her arm. His blade halted at her neck, startling her into a frozen state. Sora scrambled to his feet in the few seconds that Riku provided and looked at Fyer. He gaped.

"Riku, don't. St-stop, back away!" Sora gasped, lifting his sword. He couldn't attack with Riku so close to her. In fact, that was precisely why he was in danger. His touch, his closeness, had awakened something that Sora could see in her eyes. The bright white spheres were plagued with something dark that Sora didn't like.

Riku sealed his fate the moment he touched her. The contact was worse than the chains. Every ounce of restraint she had against the pair snapped. The light touch against her skin felt like razor blades, cutting deep into whatever was left of her aching core. The voice inside her growled with untamed ferocity, screaming for the contact to end.

She ignored the sword at her throat. She thrust backwards, slamming the pommel of her weapon into Riku's mid-section. When his breath left him, she tore free of his hand and whirled around, eyes on fire. She took a step back, into his blade, and swung hers.

In her rage, she was blind to everything around her. Riku's blade barely touched her, but hers dealt a heavy blow. Riku dropped his weapon and fell, curling up immediately. It wasn't near enough to kill him, she knew. He had only been weakened, stopped temporarily. If she was going to end him, she had to strike him again, while he was submissive.

She lifted the blade and caught sight of the red on it. It reflected the bright light of her eyes, shining back to her the horror that she had become. She couldn't understand herself anymore. At one time she had longed for contact, and peace with the other creatures. Now she despised their touch and their presence, so much that she was intending to snuff out their light to avoid it. The part of her that wanted this was the part of her that even she disliked; but she couldn't survive without it. By giving in to the violence, it was the only way she was able to escape the enemies who sought to imprison her. What was she supposed to do?

"Riku!" Sora cried, coming forward. Her revelation had all happened in a second, while she stared mesmerized at her blade. She turned at the sound and was unprepared this time when Sora retaliated.

Sora's attack perfectly mirrored what she had done to Riku. Instead of falling, she flinched and leapt back, reaching up to cover her wound. The flames raged hotter and she struggled to fight them back. Every time she had given into the bloodlust, she had always stopped right before the kill. Something deeper even than this fury kept her at bay.

"What the fuck?!" a voice cried, shattering the momentary lull. Blazing white eyes swiveled around as she looked past her foes and to the speaker. Even Sora looked up in shock. It was hard for him to see in the dark who it was, but she could see him perfectly. She cocked her head, feeling strange. Her instincts warred with each other, only confusing her further. Just looking at him made her feel like the rest of the world didn't matter. All she saw was him.

"Do you see that? What the fucking hell-"

"Dammit, keep it down! Can you go one minute without shouting 'fuck' at something?" another voice chimed in, scolding the first intruder. The cataclysm inside her head broke silently, eyes still seeking out the one across the beach. Every thought that she had been unable to silence suddenly calmed. Her war against her bloodlust was over, just like that.

He was approached by his friend, barely visible around the cliffs that edged the tiny beach. The pair of them looked over.

The first instinct was to go toward them. It was against all logic, and she fought it, quickly suppressing it. What was so special about them that she was throwing away her caution? It was too much. She didn't know how to react when it came to situations she could not solve by watching expressions. Those across the beach were not afraid; in fact, it appeared their instinct was to approach, too.

For some reason, seeing them doused the flames swifter than her own rebuttal against them. In an instant, they had vanished. With a deep breath, she straightened, her wound already healed. It was hard for her to comprehend her swift deviation from fury to calm, but she had no mouth to question it. She could only act on each moment as it came to her. Even though her foes still stood before her, she no longer wished to end them. She didn't even feel the need to run.

When the newcomers approached, she caught a glimpse of emerald eyes. The sight of them was devastating. In an instant, her head felt strange. She tensed her muscles as they threatened to give out. Something was whispering to her from the depths, in a voice she couldn't understand. An uneasy anxiety grew in her that she couldn't suppress like the other feelings. She wanted to know why the sight of him was causing this. But no matter what she did, she would never be able to ask. The more she looked at the green eyes, the dizzier she became. It was similar to the feeling of the darts' poison, and it brought her alarm at the realization. If she stayed, she was going to plunge into darkness again.

Though Riku was out of commission, he had been watching her apprehensively past Sora, waiting for signs she was about to attack again. In his watching, he caught something no one else did. Her eyes were fixed on the ones approaching, stunned. Her body shook visibly even from where she was at. He saw the blade fall from her grasp and vanish, unheeded. Her leg shifted, knee bent as if she was going to take a step forward. Then she blinked and looked down, seeming to be having trouble breathing. She looked up again, mouth slightly open. She wanted to speak, he realized. But she couldn't.

"What's going on here? What's with the weird flashlights you- holy fuck!" the young man began, exclaiming mid-sentence when she began to back away. She couldn't stay here. She couldn't look at those green eyes again that were poisoning her.

"Stay back!" Sora cried, standing and facing her after he ensured that Riku was stable. Riku sat up as he spoke, clutching his chest.

"She's dangerous. Don't go near her," Riku added, glancing down at the gash she had managed to deliver

"Her? That's a fuckin' person?!" he cried, and his friend peered out at her. She turned her head away, hiding her eyes from view as she continued to retreat.

"Well, not exa-HEY!" Sora began, realizing she was escaping. "Hell…Riku, stay here!" Riku shook his head hard.

"No, you stay here too. Don't go by yourself. Let her go for now. We can't handle her by ourselves," Riku pleaded. The newcomers glanced at each other in confusion. Sora gritted his teeth as he watched the retreating figure.

"She injured you like that and you're going to let her go? She's a danger to everyone who gets too close to her," Sora pointed out, struggling to decide who to listen to; his friend or his vengeance.

"Sora…did you see her eyes? What they looked like? I saw it too when she was in the Heart Detection chains. I don't think she's going to go out and purposefully injure someone. She's not used to contact from anything. I wouldn't be surprised if the only thing she knew that came of it was pain. How many people you think were kind to her after they got a look at her?" Riku said softly, looking down at the blood on his hand. For a long time after their ordeal with the Organization, he himself had flinched from contact. He had eventually healed, but he had others who had helped him. When he saw the retreating figure, he understood. She had no one. "Let her go."

"Dammit," Sora growled, knowing he was right. When she had disappeared from their sight, Sora turned and looked at the pair that had brazenly approached. It was hard to see them in the dark, but by their height, he knew they were at least his age, if not older. They were taller than Riku.

"I don't know what the fuck just happened," the first one said, grunting when he received a punch in the shoulder from his companion.

"Stop cursing all the time. It really takes away from the conversation," he growled, turning to Sora a second later. "We didn't mean to interrupt. We didn't know if you needed help. Are you alright?" He redirected the rest of his sentence to Riku, who was still sitting in the sand silently. He looked up, seeming surprised.

"I'll be fine. I've had worse," Riku admitted, reluctantly rousing from his thoughts. Before he could stand to join the others, he spotted something in the sand not far away, glinting.

"Who are you? What you just saw…would be best if it was kept quiet. If too many people know about it, they could start looking for her, and then we'd never get our chance," Sora explained vaguely. The first one crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. His emerald eyes glinted in the dim light.

"Secrets, huh? If you're gonna make me keep my trap shut, you're gonna explain to me exactly why," the newcomer bargained, grinning. His more serious companion remained silent, seeming to agree. Sora hesitated. "Riku, what do you think?"

Riku had lifted himself to one knee and was reaching out toward the sand.

"Tell them. I think they might be able to help us," Riku said without hesitation, remembering what he had seen. There was something about those two that had snuffed out the violence inside of her.

Riku's hand gingerly grasped a black rope, small and finely woven. He lifted it out of the sand, looking closely at the pendant that spun on it until it came to a stop. It had been severed from her jacket in the scuffle; a few droplets of red stained its silver surface. He brushed them away and sat back, looking down at it in curiosity.

It was a half heart, its surface unmarred and flawless. What had she been doing with such a pendant?

"Alright. I'll explain it to you if you swear to keep it to yourselves," Sora agreed, narrowing his eyes. The pair nodded, with the louder of the two crossing his arms again. He jabbed a thumb at his companion, who ignored the motion.

"Mr. Serious here is Isa. My name's Lea, so don't forget it," Lea introduced, blinking his vibrant eyes. "Nice to meet you, and all that other blasé bullshit. So tell us what kind of glowing-eyed freak you're dealing with."


	4. Drawn In

Hello again! Sorry this one took me so much longer to write. Had a lot going on, and I had trouble getting the story line straight in this one. After a lot of contemplating, I think I got it right.

A little bit of a confession, I think Axel/Lea's dialogue is my favorite. I grab a few curses and throw in some regular words to see how it turns out. If it makes me laugh, it usually gets in there some how. In other news...

Yay for drama and tension! Plenty of it in this chapter. Building up to some serious action! Have fun reading as I have fun writing the next chapter!

.

.

.

When she was out of sight, she ran. She didn't run because she feared retaliation or pain. She ran to escape a feeling she thought had faded long ago. It had been resurrected within the darkness of herself the moment she had seen those green eyes. With each inhaled breath to spur her legs on, she tried to drown it out.

She flew free of the trees but didn't stop. As soon as she reached the rock wall, she leapt, reaching out. Without a pause, she climbed furiously up the cliffs, ignoring each scrape across her skin like razor blades. The bleached rock jutted out threateningly, but she moved up, unheeding. As soon as her blood rose to the surface of her skin, the wound had already healed. No matter how deep the cut, it would always heal.

But there were other things that could not so easily be forgotten. These things that chipped away her insides could not be healed like her wounds. They were too deep to be touched or understood. All she could do was move until it numbed into the background and she could ignore it.

Her hand slipped and with the sudden weight on her other hand, the ledge she had been holding onto crumbled. She did not have time to correct her position before her back slammed into the jutting rocks a short drop below her. Her breath left her and she relented her frantic getaway as her body recovered. She remained sprawled on the rocks, staring up at the dark sky full of stars.

Her preemptive knowledge of this world hinted at an irrefutable truth that she had lived somewhere beyond the veil of darkness that started the moment she had awoken. Each step she had taken had been sure, and each sight brought no trill of interest to her. She knew this place. It was the people that had torn a hole in the confidence she had. Regardless of how shaken the feeling had become, she could not ignore the fact that something was missing. And as she lay there, listening to the ache in her chest, she knew that whatever was missing was bigger than she had first imagined.

It was this awareness that had brought back the restless urge to seek out those in this world that may know of her past. If she had lived in this world before, there existed someone here who would know who she was. If she could not remember them, would someone out there remember her?

She rolled over onto her stomach and looked down, breath returning to her. She was far into the cliffs, above the trees and overlooking the shore. The ocean was only a dull thrum and the wind was calm here. She edged further out, looking for something she instinctively knew was there. Down below, she spotted a ledge, just far enough out for one to walk along it. She looked over to her right and immediately spotted the clock tower looming in the darkness, as she knew she would. Yes, she knew this place. But as for how…there was no answer.

She did not stand and continue climbing the cliffs. She didn't call a portal. Instead of fleeing once more, she felt rooted in place. She didn't know what to do next. The creatures in all of the other worlds had turned on her, including this one. Nowhere she went was safe anymore. Was she doomed to hiding, as she was doing in the cliffs? She feared it so; if she was confronted with restraint, she knew the violence within her would fight for control again. She had resisted killing twice; she wasn't sure how many more times she would be able to stop herself.

She could have sought out another world and kept herself hidden so that no one knew she even existed. While she lay here, there were others in this world that knew of her presence and sought to capture her for means she didn't understand. This was perfect logic that she should leave, and still she didn't move. Her mind finally settled around the phenomenon and realized why she had not fled. The green eyes that had brought those soft whispers about her were somehow keeping her here. It was the first time, after such a terrible experience, that she wanted to return to someone's presence.

She pushed herself up and looked out, cocking her head. They were down there where she had just run from, she knew. If they had left, they would return and search for her, that was certain. The thought did not bring her panic, rather it brought her calm.

She remained where she was for a long time, trying to decide what she was supposed to do. Her instincts were not speaking clearly. She was locked in place, unable to make up her mind. She rolled back over on her back, ignoring the uncomfortable prodding from the rocks beneath her. She reached up and touched her collar, fingers seeking out the pendant she knew was there; the one piece of her past that brought the calm o her turbulent thoughts.

Except it wasn't there.

She sat up swiftly and brushed her hands across her chest, searching. She caught hold of the braided cord it was normally dangling from and felt the frayed end where it had been severed. She realized it had been lost during the fight, but she had been so distracted that she hadn't noticed until now.

The knowledge that it was missing suddenly silenced everything else. Instead of calm, the flames in her chest returned, but it didn't burn the same way. There was no desire to draw her weapon and attack, or to flee. It was an uncontrollable shake, and a powerful desire to reclaim her possession immediately. She had to have it back…NOW.

.

.

.

"That's a weird fucking story. I'm almost tempted to call bullshit and walk away," Lea said, after Riku and Sora had finished explaining themselves. "But since I saw Miss Flashlight Eyes, I know what you're saying is probably true. You didn't really explain everything, though. What is the Organization? You just said they were dangerous and she was part of it. If you killed them all, how did you miss her?"

"I told you what you needed to know about the Organization. As for her…I don't really know. She wasn't there when we took down the Organization. I have no idea where she came from. None of us do. That's why we need to get ahold of her as quickly as we can. We don't know what she's capable of," Sora replied, glancing around suddenly. "Which reminds me. King Mickey still hasn't sent the dark corridor. Do you think something happened?"

Riku looked up, seeming distracted.

"There's no telling. Strange things have been happening today, and it wouldn't surprise me if something went awry," Riku said softly, turning his gaze suddenly to Lea. The red-haired man noticed and narrowed his eyes. Isa spoke before Lea could.

"You know nothing of her? What makes you sure she is part of this 'Organization' if you don't even know her name?" Isa asked, still not entirely convinced. Sora focused his gaze on the more somber one, who had remained silent until now.

"She bears a coat of the Organization. She could have only gotten it from them, or from us. She is an unknown entity to us, so that could only mean she received it from them," Sora expressed, trying to make the pair understand what they were dealing with. Isa's brow furrowed, but he said nothing. Lea refocused on the conversation, momentarily distracted from Riku's scrutinizing stare.

"Speaking of name, what are you calling her? She hasn't told you her name?" Lea cut in. Sora looked annoyed.

"She hasn't spoken a word. We don't know what her name is," Sora explained, seeing the reflected annoyance on Lea's face.

"So, what, you're just calling her 'it', or something? Maybe if you gave her a name instead of treating her like an animal, she'd be a little less apt to bite when you corner her," Lea said, suddenly angry. Sora tensed, suppressing his own anger. This stranger simply didn't understand.

"We've treated her in no such manner. She will not speak when spoken to, and cannot be approached. We're only doing what we have to in order to avoid another catastrophe like before," Sora retorted, and Isa grasped Lea's shoulder.

"There's no reason for you to get so flustered. You know nothing of the girl except for what they've told us. We cannot make judgments upon anything yet," Isa said calmly, trying to get ahold of his friend's ill-tempered response. Lea looked away, eyes narrowed still.

"Yea, you're right…even if I can't make any judgments, I still think you should call her something so she understands you're on her level. She probably understands more than you think. If she had an animal mentality, she would have just killed you, right Riku? She showed restraint. Can you really call that bad?" Lea pointed out, bringing the light further onto something Riku had been considering. He looked up at Lea, still grasping her pendant in his hand.

"I agree with you, Lea. But I also agree with Sora. Until she speaks and tells us who she is, we cannot be certain of her motives. She is dangerous, but at the same time, it seems as if she holds no threat," Riku murmured, still looking at Lea. Sora glanced back.

"We can't be sure of anything until we find out for ourselves," Sora reminded, sighing. He knew he was being harsh, but he had to. He couldn't forget what those coats once adorned. It had been a nightmare borne in flesh that still haunted his dreams. Until he knew for absolute sure that she had no connection with then…he refused to let his guard down.

"So what do you propose to do? It seems she would rather seek isolation than be around others. Do you intend to hunt her down?" Isa asked, in his signature calm manner. Riku shifted suddenly and began to stand, quickly aided by his best friend. When he was standing, flinching only slightly, he looked pointedly at Lea.

"That's what I thought we were going to have to do. However, I have a feeling this may give us a little more insight into our mysterious girl," Riku said, capturing everyone's attention. They got their first glimpse of the pendant as he held it out in his palm. "This came off of her jacket in the fight. She apparently didn't notice when she fled, or it means nothing to her. However, no other Organization members ever bore one of these. I would have remembered if they did."

The other three looked at him for further insight, not sure what he was getting at.

"Here's my thinking," Riku began again, "Considering Nobodies aren't usually known for their sentiment, this should prove something. If she returns here to retrieve it, despite her fear, that can only mean it's worth something to her."

"What would that do for us? So it means something to her? Think that means she remembers the one who gave it to her, and would then point to whether she's from the Organization or not?" Lea asked, eyes narrowing. He didn't like this 'Organization' the way they kept speaking about it. Riku hesitated.

"In a way, it could, but she most likely won't speak of it. I only mean that it could help us understand her a little better, in the light that she does not mean ill will to anyone. She only retaliated. She never came at us first. If she appears for this, the way she acts could tell us a lot," Riku further explained, trying to make himself understood. Isa lifted his eyebrows ever so slightly, signaling he had caught it. Even so, Riku had another reason for his confidence she would return.

Riku took a step forward and reached out toward Lea, offering him the pendant. He blinked in confusion.

"Wait- what the fuck do you want me to do with that?" he asked in alarm, and Sora turned to stare at his friend.

"You realize if she comes back for it, she's going to the person that has it. He's just a normal guy-how do you expect him to hold up against her?" Sora pointed out, wondering why his friend was acting so out of it. Riku shot him a look that spoke more than the other two caught. It said _trust me_.

"She knows us already; she will be reluctant to approach and may feel endangered. However, she doesn't know you. You're a lot safer than we would be. Besides, if it looks like she's going to try anything, we'll protect you. All you have to do is hold it, and give it to her when she comes for it," Riku explained, still dangling the threaded rope from his fingers. He narrowed his eyes a little; he knew he had to add a sharp prod to his convincing. "You're the one that wanted to give her a chance because she 'understands more than we think', correct? If she does, she'll know you mean no harm and will mean you none."

It worked. Lea narrowed his eyes in return and reached out. Isa's hand shot out and grasped Lea's arm tight.

"Think before you act, stupid," Isa growled, trying to shove some sense into Lea's head. Lea glared at him.

"I _am_ thinking, asshole. Get off me," Lea retorted, shaking his arm. Isa released him with a soft sigh. Lea took the soft black rope between his fingers gingerly, and Riku released it into his possession. He lifted it and looked at the silver surface carefully, taking in its curves and markings. At seeing it, his heart suddenly began beating faster. He took in a deep breath, sure that the sudden quickening was because of the fact that he was now a target; it couldn't be from the sight of the pendant that brought this uneasy feeling deep inside. That wouldn't make sense.

"Regardless of what this tells you, you're going to force her to go with you anyway, aren't you?" Isa asked, while his friend remained fixed on the pendant. Sora glanced back hesitantly at Riku.

"That part cannot change. The only thing we can change is how that is going to happen. If she comes to us and can retrieve her pendant without incident, perhaps she will trust us and will go willingly," Riku said with hope. Lea snapped his gaze away from the pendant, his tension not easing. Before he could speak, Sora blinked in sudden realization.

"Or we can lure her with it," Sora pointed out. "We have to bring her there…if we can do so without ever having to touch her, all the better. She's traversed dark corridors before; she won't hesitate if she's pressed to enter one." Lea grasped the pendant tight. He knew very little about the situation, and even though he knew the pair was considering all their options, the conversation was still getting on his nerves. He couldn't explain it, and even Isa had seen it. Right off the bat, he felt an odd need to protect her. If anything, it was him that needed protecting from her; he could plainly see what she had done to Riku.

"If I'm risking my ass for you guys, I think it's fair I get a say in how this goes down," Lea cut in, unable to restrain himself. Isa regarded him silently, though with caution in his eyes. The other two looked at him in surprise. "Why don't you give her a chance to show up before you go plotting ways to trick her into doing what you want? I thought you wanted to know her intentions? If she doesn't fucking kill you guys after this, you think that's sign enough?!"

"Lea," Isa said simply. He didn't need to convey anything else; his tone told his friend everything. Lea focused back on his blue-haired companion, still agitated. The quick temper was normal for Lea, but for it to be coming out in a situation like this was not. He was practically baring his neck without resolve for someone he didn't even know. Though Isa did not show or say it, he strangely felt the same urge. He was much better at suppressing such a strange feeling than his companion, so he had to step in. "Take a long moment to realize what you're doing."

Lea stared at Isa, unmoving and silent. The pair seemed to be having a heated argument, though neither of them opened their mouths. It was a profound friendship, almost mirroring Sora and Riku's. One pair watched the others stare at each other, eyes narrowed. Whatever was passing between the two was not apparent to Riku and Sora, who had no time to question it before something they were not prepared for happened.

As suddenly as a blink and as silent as day turning to night, she appeared. One moment the beach was empty except for the two pairs, then she was there, several paces away with the trees at her back. Her brilliant eyes cast light toward them, burning intensely. Her sudden appearance made no noise, but she was noticed instantly. All attention turned to focus on her. She looked at them in turn, studying their faces.

Her insides were in turmoil.

DANGER! one voice insisted, urging her to flee. She knew they possessed weapons and were intent on restraining her. She should keep her distance.

THE ONE WITH THE GREEN EYES…WHAT IS HE? another voice cut in, the one carrying her desire to walk forward and study him. This was the curiosity that she had been born with; the one that had faded away after a time, only to resurface at the sight of him.

TAKE BACK WHAT IS YOURS. the most powerful voice whispered, drowning out the others. Without that pendant, she was lost even more than she thought she could be. It was the only thing that isolated her mind from the world around her. It had been with her since her waking. However it had come to her didn't matter at that moment; all she knew was the gnawing emptiness without it.

"I didn't think she'd be back so soon," Riku whispered, capturing her attention immediately. He flinched and looked back at Lea. "She's here for her pendant. Show her you have it and we'll move away. Are you ready for this?"

Lea couldn't take his eyes away from her. The glowing eyes were mesmerizing. Her face was barely visible by the moonlight, but he felt as if he already knew what she looked like. There was something strangely familiar about her. It felt like he was having a déjà vu. Had he dreamed this before?

"Yea," he answered blankly, fixed on the girl. Isa hesitated when the other two retreated. He reached out and touched Lea's shoulder. He had seen Lea in deep concentration before, and even get heated defending something he thought was right, but this was different. There had been an immediate fixation on the frightening entity that stood across the way from them. Lea spared him a quick glance. "Aren't you supposed to be over there with them?" With that tone, Isa knew his old friend was still in there, and was left with little choice. He had to trust Lea…and the girl.

As soon as Lea was left standing alone, her eyes moved over to where the other three had retreated, at a considerable distance. She was cautious, unsure of this new behavior. Lea saw this and decided to act. The glint of light drew her focus back to him, and straight to the pendant he was holding up for her to see.

The world faded around her until only her and the strange man holding her pendant existed. That's what she had come for; it was all she wanted. But why did it have to be _him_?

Now there were two forces pulling her forward, neither of which she knew how to handle. From here, she could see him clearly, but she wanted to be closer still. And yet he was standing so quietly, holding out her pendant as if in offering. She wanted to move forward, and all at once she did not.

The silence stretched between the two still figures, and Isa began to fidget, growing uneasy. Lea seemed completely at ease being so vulnerable. He was knowingly making himself a target, yet he was unperturbed. The tension in waiting was unbearable to the normally stoic Isa.

Finally, she took her first step forward. Her foot sank softly into the thick sand as her weight shifted, and she took another step. Lea watched with anticipation as she slowly closed the distance, afraid to breathe. He did not fear her. No, he feared frightening her away. He wanted her to come closer, and prove to the two strangers he had met that she meant no harm. He wanted her to approach him without fear, and tell her his name. He wanted to know her.

When she was three paces away, she stopped. She was in such a close proximity that she could have snatched the pendant away and ran before any of them could move. But she couldn't. The closer she got to him, the more focused she had become on him alone. She didn't see the world anymore. The pendant swung gently in the breeze, beckoning her. She looked up from it to his eyes, bracing herself for the impact. Instead of hitting her hard like it had before, it was different. She wasn't afraid; she was perfectly content in his presence. And still…something deep within gnawed at her restlessly, reaching for something she didn't understand. Looking at him made the hole in her chest ache and her desire to speak grow fiercer. There was something about him that was different; she wanted to ask him what it was.

"It's alright," Lea whispered suddenly, bringing her out of her daze. She stared at him intently, frozen. His voice had startled her, but only because she had been used to the silence. The sound did not repel her; it was pleasant. Instead, she focused on his mouth, waiting on him to speak again. He turned his hand slightly, causing the pendant to sway. "You can have it back. Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I'm not made out of fire."

Her breath caught in her throat when the whisperings returned. It was the same as when she had first seen his eyes. Something he said had set if off. Why was this happening to her?

Lea noticed instantly that her shoulders had slumped. His last word had made her flinch, seeming to take a literal blow from it. Was it his voice, or the word 'fire'?

She looked down and closed her eyes, fighting a sudden onslaught of dizziness. She didn't want this. Every time she tried to reach out into the world, there was a wall there.

Now that she was vulnerable, she knew what was going to happen next. She had let her curiosity drag her out here to this man, and now she was completely open to attack. She waited shakily for the first move, unable to look.

"Hey, are you alright?" Lea exclaimed, fighting the urge to go forward. She looked like she was about to fall, and he wanted to help her, but after seeing Riku's wounds, he knew better. He waited for an answer; even if she couldn't speak, she could still give him a sign. After a long moment, she dropped to one knee for better stability and looked up at him, glowing eyes half-lidded. Lea held up his hands defensively. "I'd come help, but you don't want anyone near you. I'm not making the same mistake as others. I was going to let you come to me. But if you need help, let me come to you. Let me know it's okay."

After a few moments, she realized he meant what he said. No one had made a move toward her during her weakness. She closed her eyes for a long moment, trying to silence the unintelligible noise echoing through her mind. It seemed to be speaking a language she didn't understand, repeating urgently to her. It felt important, and her body shook with anxiety as she could not comprehend it. The noise repeated in her head, like a throbbing pain, as she looked up once more.

To her surprise, Lea had dropped to one knee, so that he was now eye-level with her. He was still three paces away; he had not come sneaking closer to her. She tilted her head slightly, the whisperings quieting for a spare moment.

"Why are you shaking? Are you scared?" he whispered, trying to understand this voiceless entity. He saw in her eyes that she understood his words, but had yet to respond in kind. She could only look at him with those strangely glowing eyes. "What has happened to you to make you this way?"

_I can't remember_…she wanted to say. Her mouth trembled as she opened it, willing her voice to be heard. She had woken this way; 'born' as she called it. There was nothing to be seen before then, it was all she knew. She felt deep down something was missing, but it was lost beyond her reach. She wanted someone to tell her who she was, and why she was awake and alive. What purpose was there to her endless existence? She wanted to know the answer to the question that he had asked her, but she didn't even know.

Lea watched as her lips parted, struggling. He watched patiently, but no words came forth. She was mute, unable to respond. She was imprisoned in silence, and the realization made Lea's chest seize. He pitied her; locked in that lonely world without a chance to break free. No one could help her because she was incapable of making any connections. His eyes softened as he watched her mouth close, giving up. He wanted to be the one to break her free of her chains.

He was asking her questions she could not answer. Even so, he had not moved away. He did not fear her, nor find her repulsive to be near. His strange behavior is what had initially drawn her near, and it kept her here. All he wanted to do was help her, he had said. How could he do anything for her?

With little confidence, she shifted her weight to assure her balance and lifted a hand, very slowly. She reached out past herself, into the empty space between them. She had never envisioned herself doing this; to extend herself so vulnerably. But with him…something told her deep down not to fear.

Riku was astonished, but pleased. He had a feeling Lea had an immediate connection with the girl, and that he may prove to be the only bridge to clear the gap between her and contact with the world. Sora and Isa stared silently in surprise and relief. The fact that he was still untouched and unharmed was a miracle. Now what they were seeing was something else entirely.

She didn't know what to expect. The creature from the eternally dark world had touched her only in a means to restrain her and drain her life away, and it had been icy cold. This man in front of her…would his touch be different? Would it make her flinch, or would she be at ease? If he wanted to help her, she wanted him to. With all the paths she had walked alone, she had known deep down she couldn't fix herself. Was he the one who was going to bring her out of this silence, and calm the ache in her chest?

Lea saw the cautiously offered hand and felt a trill of happiness. Of all people, she had chosen to trust him. He would not make her regret her decision; he would help her no matter what.

He shifted carefully and reached out with one hand, the pendant's cord wrapped loosely around it. He was giving her a few choices at his reciprocation to her movement. Either she could accept the hand and allow him to help her stand up, or she could simply take the pendant from him.

She watched as his hand reached out to meet hers, stopping only a spare inch away. Her eyes trained sharply on the thing she had originally returned for, aware of the powerful urge to take it back. Yet, her anxiety held her at bay. When she took it back…what would _he_ do? When she had appeared, he held it out, as though as an offering. What would he take in return when she retrieved it?

The moment of absolute stillness between the two was terrifying to the sidelines. Isa was tensed, ready to rush to Lea's aid. Riku appeared completely at ease, while Sora was mirroring Isa. He didn't trust the girl at all; though she had been calm up until this point, he had seen how swiftly she could change.

She moved a fraction closer, eyes focusing up on Lea. His face was illuminated slightly by the brilliance of her eyes, but he didn't flinch.

_Touch me. Let me show you that you're not alone in the world._ Lea did not speak it aloud, he only said it with his eyes. He was taking no chance in frightening her now when she was so close. She overcame the last brick that was blocking her resistance to contact and moved forward to place her hand in his.

Lea felt the heat from her hand before it could touch him, but that was all he felt. Their moment never came. Before she could make the connection, a hissing noise like rushing water erupted through the air. Her head jerked to the side and locked immediately on the pinprick of darkness that quickly growing larger. She knew what that was, but she had not summoned it. The knowledge that others could make those bridges between worlds hit her like a brick wall. She had relied on her ability to dodge between worlds to keep her safe. To see that others could do it was both frightening and alluring at once. These new people that could pursue her across realms…were they friend or foe?

On instinct, she retracted, scurrying backwards through the sand until she had distanced herself from the black dot and from Lea. Her trust dissolved, along with the dizzying whispers. Her moment of weakness had passed, and just in time.

The sight of the girl recoiling just as she was about to break the undeniable reluctance she had with touch made his spirits drop. She had been so close. Not only that, she had apparently forgotten her pendant in the sudden disturbance.

When the figure stepped out of the corridor, she felt a strange fuzziness erupt in her mind. The whisperings returned yet again, but this time they were urging her to flee.

RUN. RUN. RUN

She narrowed her eyes, still half-crouched on the sand. She had no choice; she would call a corridor, and would continue calling them through the worlds until she lost her new foe. Something was telling her to keep her distance, and she would obey it.

"K-king Mickey?" Riku cried, astonished the King himself had come through the corridor. The apparent "king" glanced around swiftly until he caught sight of the girl. The pair shared a silent stare, neither making a move.

"I've come because things have changed. We can't take her back to my world now. We have to discover who she is elsewhere. Where has yet to be determined. I thought it better to come here myself and see her. Apologies for the delay. It took a great deal of convincing for my subjects to let me come alone," King Mickey began, cutting straight to the point, though with vague details. "After what you told me, and after hearing the report from what occurred in Agrabah, I realized what we're dealing with is much different than before."

King Mickey blinked suddenly, breaking the stare between himself and the girl and turned to Sora and Riku.

"I delayed because I assumed you would be safe. Why haven't you used the Heart Detection chains?" King Mickey asked, with a hint of sternness in his high voice. They both became uneasy.

"We…did," Sora said softly. King Mickey slowly turned to look at the girl again, this time with a great deal more caution.

"There are only a few ways it's possible that she broke free of the chains. One, if she has a heart. Even from here I can see the emptiness pouring out of her eyes," King Mickey said quietly, eyes narrowing again. "The other…means that we are not strong enough anymore. Those chains were engineered to hold a power threefold of my own. The fact that the pair of you aren't slain from the encounters you've had with her amazes me."

Sora had never seen King Mickey so stunned by something before. He was speaking, but his attention remained fixed on the girl. He was nervous, and for good reason. Lea turned and Mickey's attention snapped to him.

"What's he doing out there? Who is that?" Mickey asked in alarm. "Back away! Come over here before she comes for you!"

"Fuck you!" Lea roared in response. Sora smacked a hand to his forehead with a sigh, and Riku remained speechless. Isa did nothing but shake his head slowly. His friend must not have heard the 'King' in Mickey's introduction. Isa wouldn't be surprised if the strange mouse had Lea thrown into a dungeon.

"Before you showed up, she was perfectly fine. She's not a fucking monster, you asshole! Why is everyone assuming that after one look at her?!" Lea snapped, losing his temper once again. After his near-contact with the girl, his defensive behavior toward her had only grown. King Mickey blinked in surprise and looked over at Sora and Riku, his expression demanding an explanation.

While the pair was attempting to explain what had occurred up to that point, she found herself looking at the one called 'Lea' again. She had heard him say it so clearly, and it remained with her now. _Not a monster._ She had thought so all along. If she was not a monster, like all the others had fearfully shouted at her, then what was she?

King Mickey turned to Lea after he had been caught up. Though he was perturbed at the man's language, he understood now.

"We must let her go for now. I was not prepared for this. We have to formulate a different plan of action before we face her head-on again," King Mickey said gently, hoping the agitated red-head would calm down. Lea narrowed his eyes, and Isa bit his tongue to stop himself from cutting off Lea before he began. With that expression, he knew nothing short of profanities were about to be shouted.

"What, treating her like a human being isn't good enough? You didn't see her a few minutes ago. She's not an animal, dammit. Treating her like one isn't going to get you anywhere," Lea growled, restraining most of the insults that he wanted to hurl at the group.

"What do you propose we do? If agitated even in the slightest, she could kill you without even trying. We can't charge in recklessly like you're intending. Take a step back and clear your head, my friend," King Mickey answered calmly. Lea stared at him for a long time before glancing back at the girl, who was still motionless in the sand.

"You guys are fucking idiots," Lea snapped, taking a step toward her. Her eyes moved back to him and Isa hissed in a breath.

"What are you doing?!" Sora cried, tensing. He had to pull Lea out of there before he got himself killed. Letting her approach him before had been one thing, but if he started toward her, she would see him as a threat and react.

She did see him coming, but she didn't move. She had no intent on attacking him, but she no longer wanted to make contact with him while the others were filling the air with their tension. She could practically taste it on the air, and it was breaking her concentration with their nervousness. The moment she had reached out to him had been just right; but the moment had ended, and she couldn't do it now.

She stood suddenly, startling even Lea. She took a definitive step back, swinging her gaze around to King Mickey and the others, trying to make Lea understand. She felt too threatened with so many potential foes around. She couldn't let her guard drop for him while they were there.

Lea paused, watching her. What she was trying to convey wasn't news to him. He knew the moment that the newcomer had arrived, things had fallen apart. He had only moved forward in hope of showing King Mickey that she was more than just an entity full of power that they needed to fear.

Darkness suddenly stretched out behind her, startling Lea. King Mickey focused on her again.

"She's adept at using the dark corridors. It's nearly impossible for her to have learned this on her own. That means she has been to the Castle, and in contact with the Organization members. Only members have the ability to enter the Castle; one cannot simply enter at will without being part of the Organization. I know you two have already made this assumption. It should only harden your resolve, and that of your new friends. If she is an Organization member, she is the enemy," King Mickey said pointedly to Lea. Lea responded with a fierce glare.

She replayed the conversation over in her head, picking out the most important part. She had heard this from Riku and Sora before, but King Mickey had edged out more information to her this time. If what she heard was right, if she went to this so-called 'castle', she could not be followed. She would be safe there.

The darkness fell behind her, and she closed her eyes. King Mickey tilted his head, watching her. She funneled her desire to enter the 'Castle', manifesting it into her powers to open the pathway to the next world. After a few moments, she felt it bloom again behind her. King Mickey's eyes narrowed. The doorway was different this time; it had become very easy for him tell after all the encounters with other Organization members. When they were going back to the Castle, there would always be a single line of white through the middle of the doorway, signaling where they were headed. It was the signal that Mickey and the others would not be able to follow.

"So she can go there," King Mickey said softly, confirming what he had earlier feared. She was acting strangely void, even for an Organization member, but he had found them to be incredible actors. No matter how 'mute' or 'ignorant' she was, her apparent knowledge was shining through as the gateway to the Castle stood open behind her. She took a step back, seeing the sudden hostility growing in King Mickey's eyes. Lea took one more step forward.

"Hey, Flashlight Eyes! Don't forget this! I told you that you could have it back!" Lea exclaimed, drawing her focus back to him one last time. He unraveled the rope from his hand and threw it, straight at her. He wouldn't be like the others had been; when he told her he would do something, there wouldn't be a knife held behind his back, ready to strike. When she saw what he had done, the corridor behind her flickered as she took a step forward, eyes locked on her prized possession.

As it hit the highest arc in the air, halfway to her, something whistling through the air suddenly intercepted it. It flew swiftly, cutting into the sand with a powdery wave. She jerked back and looked to where the object had impacted. She noticed a strange looking sword impaled in the sand, her pendant trapped under it by its rope. Both she and Lea looked over to where it had come from.

"I'm sorry, Lea. If we give it back now, we have no way of making contact with her again," Riku said, cutting through the silence. He was holding his middle, but his pain had not hindered his throw in the slightest. She recovered her step back and added another, one foot into the darkness. Lea put his anger aside for a spare second and looked at her.

"I'm sorry," Lea said softly, to her alone. Her eyes pierced through him as he spoke. She understood his words, but their meaning was lost to her. All she could understand now was the need to be alone; away from these people. She looked at him one last time, feeling the calamity still for just a second as her gaze lighted on him. If there was anyone across these worlds that she would be willing to trust, it was him. But not now.

The darkness caved and swallowed her, leaving Lea alone on the beach with Riku's sword. King Mickey sighed softly.

"I didn't expect this…but there's nothing we can do about it. We can't follow her there. We will have to lure her elsewhere. That, pendant is it? Is that what she returned for?" King Mickey asked, already fluidly moving to the next course of action. Sora nodded.

"She wasn't gone long before she returned, most likely after she noticed she'd left it behind," Sora answered, and Mickey crossed his arms.

"We can use it, then. I have been considering a location where it would be most wise to meet her once more, though that place is as unsure as we are. However, after seeing this, there's no choice left. It's our best bet. The inhabitants there…I do believe will be able to help us. Whether they will or not is another story. Even being a king does not give you power over creatures in condition such as they are," King Mickey began, and Sora's eyebrow lifted. He knew King Mickey was right. He had seen that world put even the most lethal Heartless in disarray. It would no doubt do the same for the girl, giving them the upper hand.

"As for this pair that have become involved…they're normal humans. It wouldn't be wise to put them in harm's way again. We won't be needing them," Mickey decided. Lea heard him and focused immediately, already at the end of his fuse.

"Damn fucking right you won't be needing us. You'll be needing a fucking coroner when you're through trying to pin her down. Sons of bitches," Lea snarled, striding off across the beach. Isa left their side without a word to go meet with his friend.

"That's not true," Riku finally said, ignoring his wound as he stood straight and brushed past Sora. "Please, wait."

"What do you mean?" King Mickey asked in confusion. Isa looked back, but Lea didn't. Riku kept his eyes on Lea.

"As soon as he appeared, when we were fighting her, something changed. At first, I thought she was afraid of him, but that wasn't true. For some reason, there was this…this connection between them. Like an invisible thread," Riku began, trying to put into words what he had seen. "When she came back, it was for the pendant, yes. But it wasn't just for the pendant. She could have taken it from him with no problem. But she came to him, and reached out to him. There's something there, and if he walks away now, we may never get through to her."

Lea heard him and stopped in his tracks. So, the bond he had felt had been that apparent? Then he couldn't be imagining it.

"Are you certain? If this is true…though the reason is unclear, I agree that he may be the key to understanding her. We cannot win against her with strength. Perhaps we can meet halfway…and discover who she is with Lea," King Mickey agreed, knowing they really had little choice. They had to take whatever help they could get.

"How do you plan to execute this? Do you really think she'll come back here again?" Isa asked, still recovering from the current event. King Mickey looked to Riku for an answer this time. He nodded.

"I think she will. We've seen her here more than once. And since she knows Lea and her pendant are here…the chances of her _not_ showing up are slim," Riku said, looking to where his sword still was, buried halfway to the hilt in sand. He could feel it; she would be back, even if she had travelled to the Castle That Never Was.

"When she comes back, we cannot stay here. We still need to lure her away from this world. She seems to escape quickly through dark corridors, and that cannot happen anymore if we are to learn anything about her. I know a certain realm that may prove useful in this endeavor. All that is left is leading her there, and hoping those that reside there will lend us their help," King Mickey explained, referring to the world he had mentioned earlier. Only now, he had covered the remaining gap in his plan of how he intended to get her to go there. This could not fail, for the safety of his people. Whatever she was, friend or foe, had to be clarified before their efforts could let up.

"This will require you to enter another world, with our protection of course, Lea. You too, Isa, if you wish. Are you ready to do this?" King Mickey asked, directing his conversation at the pair he knew had been listening. Lea finally faced them, expression dark.

"If I help you guys out, can you promise me in return that you won't lock her up, or hurt her? I'm not gonna be the fucker that helps get her in chains like an animal," Lea growled, reluctant. As he had started walking away, he could feel the thread fraying, ready to snap. It had buried itself so deep inside of him already that he had felt the desire to stop long before Riku ever spoke. He knew so very little about her, and still he was reluctant to let her go in this way. What had she done to suffer so much? He couldn't walk away without knowing. And even when he finally discovered the reason, would he even be able to help her?

King Mickey regarded him silently for a long moment. The man could prove to be difficult to work with, but it was hard to miss the light inside of his heart.

"If it is avoidable. However, I can promise nothing. If she proves to be an Organization member with the same intents as the others…we will have no choice but to end her. It would be a better fate to destroy one than risk many others with our sympathy. I hope you can understand what we are faced with," King Mickey answered, ready for the responding onslaught of curses. Instead, Isa shifted around until he was in Lea's line of sight.

"You may not know this, but I felt it too. You want to help her out of her silence and her isolation, correct? So do I. But even so, we must be conscious about this. If she is part of the evil that they were speaking of, we can't defend her. If she is not what we thought she was, we have to let her go. Can you do that?" Isa asked quietly, so softly that even Lea had trouble hearing him. It was unclear if their new friends had overheard. Lea was surprised; not only had the connection been apparent, he had not been alone. He gazed at his friend. Isa had the same resolve to help her as he had; he had to match the resolve of stepping back if she proved to be submerged in a darkness no one could save her from. He had to.

"I can. And I will," Lea replied, with much less gusto than before. Isa stepped back out of his way. His eyes met Mickey's. "Tell me what I need to do, and let's do this."

.

.

.

The pathway through darkness was different this time. There was a tiny beam of light underneath her feet, leading her to a doorway that was not shining with bright like all of the others she had passed through had. She paused at what appeared to be a pitch-black wall, though she knew there was a doorway there. She didn't know what to expect. This wasn't new to her, as she had crossed many times into new worlds without reserve. But because there was no light, she had become hesitant.

She knew she could not backtrack into the other world for now, because of the strange newcomer. If anything, she should be ready to enter into this new word in which none could follow her. She would be safe at last…and utterly alone.

Refusing to allow her thoughts to hold her there any longer, she walked through the doorway and into the 'Castle' the mouse had spoken of.

As her foot set down, it echoed. Her other foot followed, and the darkness eclipsed behind her.

There were no lights, but she didn't need them with her night vision. She could see everything. She could see the tables and the couches set before her. She could see the hallways ahead and to the side, and the pale blue-white walls. Instinctively, she knew where each hallway lead. She knew exactly where she was.

The revelation was startling. _Only Organization members can go there_. It was true; this was no accident. She was part of that group they had spoken in ill tones about. She had been part of some sort of evil group that had given the pair she encountered such scars inside of their eyes.

There was no other explanation of her knowing this place. _She had been here before_. Just as she knew she had lived a life for which she had no memory of. Was this it?

She took a step forward, still too full of her devastated thoughts to notice the weakness that was creeping up through her.

She looked left, then right, looking for someone. Someone was supposed to be here. Her eyes searched through the large room she was in, hunting for that person intently.

Who was it that she was looking for?

Before, when she had a revelation like this, there was a dizziness before she ever grew weak and collapsed. Her mind had even threatened to shut down on her, though she had been able to resist the pull. This time, there was no warning.

As soon as she took a step forward, trying with her voiceless mouth to call a name she couldn't remember, the silence in the darkness of her mind woke into a gale storm. Whatever voice had been trying to speak to her was drowned out, and the weakness suddenly became apparent. Before she could brace herself against it, the darkness overcame her.

The name that had been desperately trying to surface drifted back into the abyss when her eyes closed, remaining lost; like her.


	5. Castle of Whispers

Can you feel it? The electricity in the air...the calm before the storm...the enormous weight of the workload that is going to be dumped on me come Monday.

Alas, writing time will become scarce, but fear not! I will work hard on getting chapters finished in a timely manner. On another note...

I've tried to keep my story coinciding with the original Kingdom Hearts story line, but I know I may have deviated a bit in this chapter...don't tear into me too bad! I did my best D:

Anyways, enjoy!

.

.

.

There was someone speaking to her, she could hear it. Somewhere up there where her consciousness waited, someone was trying to rouse her. She could feel their hands gently touch her face, whispering…her name?

Her eyes opened suddenly, wide. There was no one there. She was alone, lying on her side where she had entered into this realm. She had nary taken a step before she had fainted for reasons she couldn't remember.

That wasn't possible. She couldn't be alone. She had _felt_ it.

She sat up and searched before getting to her feet. She moved across the room swiftly, looking in every corner and crevice for the person who had been here only seconds before. She refused to believe it had all been an illusion. None of her lapses in consciousness had ever brought any sensations other than the empty darkness.

Despite her frantic searching, there was no one here. The air was stale, as if this place had been empty for a while. She had stepped into a frozen world, and she was alone.

If there was no one else here, why had she felt and heard such strange things? The only touch she ever remembered feeling was that of the blood-sucking creature, and others who had managed to touch her for an instant in their attempt to bring her harm. No touch had ever been as serene as what she had felt. She couldn't have been reminiscing; there was no memory of hers to match what she had experienced.

_What was that?_

She had stopped her chase of the nonexistent entity at the edge of the room, with a hallway at her back. Her breathing slowed as she relaxed, and she became aware of the absolute silence and stillness in the Castle. She had been to worlds that had been this quiet before, but the air was different here. It felt lonely, as if nothing had touched it for years. As she looked out the glass wall before her, she saw darkness and the twinkling of dull lights in the city below.

Despite the stark emptiness, she felt strangely content. As though she were…home.

Her eyes moved about once more, taking in the details. The walls were smooth, and the ceiling was high. Her eyes paused on the tables and couches. Once upon a time, people must have sat here together. She wondered how many had sat at these couches speaking to each other in hushed tones to avoid the walls from echoing their words. She wondered if they were content with each other's presence, or if they stayed away from each other.

She blinked, remembering that the ones who had been here were the dreaded 'Organization members'. Any time they were mentioned, she saw the expression she associated most with those wanting to flee. The ones here must have inspired such feelings toward all who saw them. Just like her. Perhaps it wasn't so surprising that she truly was one of them.

She looked over her shoulder, into the hallway behind her. Now that she had stilled, she noticed the furtive feeling pulling her that direction. The slightly curved hallway lead to somewhere she didn't know, but it didn't matter. There was no reason to fear. The ones who chased her had said all the Organization members were 'gone' and no others could come here. She was completely alone, and no one could follow. Normally that would put her at ease, but she still couldn't shake the ghost of a feeling that had caressed her face.

She walked more carefully into the hallway, muffling the sound of her footsteps. The doors were shut, and when she touched the door handles, they refused to turn. She had passed a few before she saw one very slightly ajar. She paused and stared at it intently, wondering how this one had been left open so carelessly when the others had been so carefully sealed up.

With a careful tap of her fingertips, the door slid open, revealing a quite plain room to her. The bed was not properly made, though that was the only mess in the room. There was nothing else that could have been out of place. After a moment, she began to turn to leave when she spotted something on the floor, barely showing from underneath the bed.

She approached and touched it cautiously, wondering what it was. She grasped it and pulled it out, blinking when she found herself looking at a small book. She turned it over and picked it up, feeling of the loose binding. She opened it, still crouched on the floor.

_I don't know who came up with this, but it seems kind of like an attempt to stalk us during our down time. I mean, what else do you mother fuckers wanna know? You get a report every time we come back from a mission. You wanna know how long I stared at the fucking ceiling? Or how many times I kicked Xigbar's ass at poker? Don't fuckin creep, man. I don't give a shit about 'protocol'. I'm not a dumbass like most of the other members. As long as I know you're coming in here and reading everything I write, I'm not writing shit. Go find some other important fucking things to do. I'm out._

She tilted her head, trying to understand what she was reading. This was someone's personal writing, and was expecting someone else to see it? How odd.

She turned the pages, finding only more profanities and angry attacks aimed at whoever happened to be reading.

_Since you've made it mandatory for us to write something every day, how about this? Holy bitching fuckmeister, go eat shit and die. Is that sufficient?_

Each page was a jumble of nonsense, intended to defy whoever had given this particular person the order to write. She passed through the pages, completely focused. This had been someone's voice; though it was not spoken aloud, it was here written in ink. She did not physically hear them, but each word that her eyes passed over was a silent message.

Finally, she found a page that was different from the others she had been reading. She eased back until she was sitting on the floor beside the bed, crossing her legs before her.

_New guy today. It's been a while since Master of all that is Fucking Majestic brought someone in. Not sure how he's going to do. He's like a damned zombie. I can't joke with the guy. He just fucking stares like he can't understand anything I say. Hasn't spoken yet either. Until he gets a grasp on reality, he's getting passed around to all of us to take care of. I'm on babysitting duty tomorrow. Thanks, you fuckstick._

A new Organization member? He was quiet and didn't speak. Was he mute like her?

She was completely mesmerized now. She didn't know who it was, but after each page, she was beginning to understand. This person…had she known them when she had been here? What had been her purpose in the Organization?

She read on, until the writing changed again. Every page grew more and more different, changing the person that she had been reading about.

_I don't know about the rest of the Organization members…but I always knew I was missing something. I mean, yea we were told our hearts were gone and we were working toward getting them back. At first, I didn't really believe them, but as time goes on, you really start feeling it. I didn't realize how painful it was until __**he**__ showed up. The zombie turned into something else; my friend. And I'll be damned if I let you bastards use him like I know you're doing._

She touched the page where it said 'hearts'. Was that why she felt empty, and couldn't speak?

_I don't know what the hell is wrong with me. I can't let him go. I know my place in the Organization, but whenever I think of my friend, I stop listening to the Superior. It's because of that damned hole in my chest. I don't feel so terrible when he's around. I used to not give a shit about anybody. Now I can actually feel something. It's incredible. Is this what it feels like to have a heart? If so, is there a chance he's the reason? Either way, these feelings are all I can listen to anymore. I can't shake them, but I don't really want to. When I listen to them, I finally feel like I'm doing something right. _

She turned to the next page and discovered it was the last. The rest of the pages had been ripped out, leaving only the stubs of where the others had once been attached.

_The Kingdom Hearts goal is bullshit. Hearts aren't made out of thin air. I believe our hearts are just lost, and we only have to find them again. If there was a heart I was trying to get back, I had found it. But mine is dead now. I wasn't there when he needed me, and now he's gone. I don't know how I'm gonna forgive myself. I wish there was some way I could make it up to him. He was my best friend._

_What's my point of existence now? What else is there in this fucking dreary world of ours? Go ahead and threaten me if I don't obey you. I don't give a shit anymore._

_I'm better off if I fade from existence anyway. It would serve me right._

She lifted her thumb and let the pages flutter back into place, blinking. The words were profound. They had changed so rapidly, because of this 'heart' they had found. Then, when the heart died, they lapsed back into a state of uncertainty. She touched the page with her fingers, wishing she could remember this person.

She wanted to find her heart too. The way this person's writing had changed made her believe the heart could change her too. No longer would she be cursed with the aching gap in her chest. She may finally understand her existence. If another person could give her that, there was only one she could think of. The one on the beach that had reached out and asked her to reach out in return. Being in his presence wasn't like anything else she had felt thus far. What if he was the key to feeling the same way as the one who wrote these words?

She closed the book slowly, letting the pages slide onto each other like a waterfall. It had been cast so carelessly underneath the bed, abandoned. As the pages fluttered, she watched them absently. She had no reason to keep it, but she didn't want to let it go. Though this had belonged to someone else, this could be a piece of the past she could not recall.

The last page fell, and she noticed something she had not previously seen. There was something written in a style that did not match the rest of the journal. It was only one word.

Axel.

The book slipped from her frozen fingers into her lap before it tilted and fell with a thump to the floor. The name stirred within her, reaching out and grasping her with a terrible hold. She wanted to remember, but she couldn't.

In the midst of the book falling, she heard a voice behind her. It was yet again unintelligible, but unmistaken. There was someone standing only a few strides away, speaking directly to her. She flipped around, prepared for an attack.

There was no one there.

She stood, breath quickening. It had happened again. What was going on? Was something wrong with her? She had never experienced this before, no matter what strange places she had traversed, or how weary she had become. It was only…in this place.

She moved to the doorway and looked out carefully, listening hard. Only silence greeted her, giving her no comfort. She was alone, there was no doubt. Still, she knew something was awry.

She glanced back at the book, hesitant. She knew the name, but she did not truly know him. She had already seen all of its contents; taking it with her would do nothing for her. As it lay on the floor, abandoned once more, the name was displayed to her, mocking her in intricate cursive.

Axel. This person she felt had been kind, despite his thoroughly used colorful vocabulary. Unlike her, he had felt a deep connection with another and had begun to tear away from his own darkness. She wondered if she could follow in his footsteps.

She knew not what else this place held for her, so she pressed on, leaving the discovered 'Axel's room behind with one final glance. She zig-zagged through the hall, trying each door. No one else had left their doors ajar. She reached the last one, and noticed this one was the most intricate. It must have held someone very special behind it. She reached out and turned the knob, finding it as unrelenting as the rest.

Without moving her hand, she looked up at the door again, unable to shake the feeling of familiarity. She knew this place, of course she already knew that. But it was this spot in particular that she knew the most. What lay beyond this door? She wanted to open it and look inside.

As if the castle heard her, she felt the knob give way. It turned in her tense grasp, clicking softly as the latch opened. She gazed at the door for a second longer before she pushed it slowly open.

She took a step in, silent. The air was just as old and still here, but regardless, her breath quickened. This room was bigger, though it was very similar to Axel's room. The bed was the first thing she noticed was larger. The rest of the room was plain, as though no one had ever resided here. The bed was made neatly, and absolutely nothing was out of place. She wondered if there was any point in entering the room. It felt familiar, like the rest of the castle, but if there was nothing standing out, she would be unable to decipher any memories; if there really were any.

She took in a quiet breath and stepped forward, further into the room. She wasn't sure what she was doing. The thought of leaving this room was quickly denied. She didn't want to go just yet, but she wasn't sure why. She approached the bed and paused, gazing at it. _What am I doing?_

She clenched her fists and dropped to one knee, looking under the bed. If there was something here, perhaps it would be a journal like she had found in the other room. It must be her curiosity that had brought her into the room rather than out of it. That was the only explanation.

She reached up one hand and grasped the covers, using them as a support as she tilted her body further to see clearly under the bed. There was nothing there, as she had suspected. But it didn't matter. Because the second the touched the bed, she forgot everything else.

_Let your fear go; it has no place here with me._

She jolted in shock, taking in a shallow breath. She released the covers and fell back. Her body shivered once, then froze like a statue. She turned her head very slowly to the right, every nerve on edge. She did not imagine it this time. This voice had been right in her ear, whispering to her. And this time, finally understandable.

Once again, she was alone. She looked at the bed again, still sitting tensely on the floor. She didn't understand. She hadn't imagined it; she had felt it and heard it this time. It was a detached murmur, as if it were the Castle itself.

Her chest constricted, aching fiercely. She lifted one hand and placed it against her chest, shaking. This feeling only served to remind her of what she was missing. She didn't understand what it meant; she could only listen to its quiet yearning to be heard. As she sat on the cold floor, before the bed, it grew. It burned fiercely without end. _What is this? If there is no one here with me, is it the Castle that speaks to me?_

She focused her gaze on the bed. She knew the moment she had walked through the door that somehow, she would know the feel of the sheets, and its soft comfort as she lay upon it. She forced herself to stand, refusing to look elsewhere. If it was the castle that whispered in her ear, then it was but an echo. She had been here once before; there was no denying it. She knew not who she was, and she wanted to know. She had wondered aimlessly for long enough.

But more than anything, she wanted to hear that voice again. Though it had initially surprised her, and the aching in her chest had grown, it was only from the silence following the words that had been spoken softly to her. She wanted them again. And she wanted to know who had spoken them to her.

She moved forward until she was inches away from making contact. She paused as she reached out, hand stiff. She took a deep breath and placed her fingertips against the covers, prepared for the voice to return.

But it did not.

After a long moment of waiting, she opened her eyes and stared down at where her hand was touching the bed. What was she doing wrong?

Her hand traced along the bed as she moved around it, waiting for the voice to make its second appearance. Though she was still making contact with the place the voice had come from the first time, she still heard nothing. The ache grew further, deeper into her. Absently, she lifted herself onto the bed, lying down on her side. There had to be a sign; a reason she knew this place.

Strangely, she felt odd where she was laying. She began to sit up before she realized suddenly what it was. She rolled over, facing the door. Right there; it felt as if her body fit perfectly in that spot, as if it were meant for her. Had this been her bed? No, it couldn't have been. She turned on her back and looked at the empty spot beside her. The bed was large, enough for two people. The voice she had heard, so gentle and quiet, belonged here too. She reached out gingerly and touched the empty place, unable to silence the pain inside.

The voice…was it the one who had lain here? Had they lain side by side, sleeping peacefully? Was there someone out there who had once made contact with her? She couldn't imagine it. She could barely stand the thought of being trapped under another's touch. Had there been someone who she had trusted enough to do that? If so….where were they now?

_All the Organization members are gone_.

She remembered that suddenly, and her hand clenched to hold the covers where the other person used to be. They were gone; the one person she had once trusted. She was still alone, and would be no matter where she went. She felt deep down, where the pain emanated, that no one would be able to fill the cavity where this person had once been in her. She closed her eyes and her hand relaxed, resting in their spot.

_Let my fear go, because it does not belong here with you... How can I let my fear go…if you are not here?_

The pain in her chest did not relent. It was as if a sickness had taken hold of her in a fierce grasp. She opened her eyes again a moment later and stared at the ceiling, noticing dully that a section of the rock looked very slightly different from the rest, as if it had been replaced.

_Why did I awaken alone? Did you abandon me?_ she asked the silence in her head, wishing the castle would answer her. If she had been a part of this group, why had she been so separated from them, unable to remember even their names?

If all she had in her memories were those of people long dead, what difference would it make if she never remembered? It didn't matter where she came from if there was nowhere to go back to. In a sense, her new life really had begun since the moment she had opened her eyes to the world on the beach. Nothing was left here but fading echoes.

She sat up slowly, trying to tear her eyes away from the void place next to her. She had no purpose before, and any hope that there might be something to go back to within her lost memories had been crushed. There was nothing here for her. As much as she wanted to stand and depart, she couldn't lift her hand. It served no purpose to remember, but she wanted to all the same. Her eyes narrowed, the glow she cast upon the bed fading slightly. _Why did you leave me alone?_ She wanted to know at least that.

She didn't know what to do with the pain. She had never felt it this intensely before. It was clawing from the inside, as if something was trying to be free. It scraped her from within, creating an insatiable agony. She wasn't sure if knowing the truth would quell it; she had a feeling understanding the reality would only serve to rip the hole inside larger. But if all that faced her otherwise was nothingness, she would gladly accept it.

No matter how long she remained there, the voice did not return. She felt nothing else but the remaining ache as she stared at that vacant place beside her. It took all of her will to lift her hand from the bed and retract it to herself. She closed her eyes, trying to keep her gaze from locking onto the bed once more. As she moved to stand, she reached out with her other hand to grasp the bedpost in support.

_Do not cry, love. Give in to me, and everything will be alright._

She released the bed post and shoved against the floor, sending herself flying back. She landed on the other side of the bed, hand out and ready to summon her weapons for battle. She breathed hard, eyes wide. The voice had faded away just like the other. This one had spoken directly into her face, smothering her. This voice was different. It had been calm and soft, but the threat had been clear in its undertones. She had felt immediately that she was in danger.

She knew that there would be no one there when she faced the fading end of the words, but she had reacted to the physical brush of the voice. How could this be a detached memory if she was feeling it?

So, in this room had also been an entity that wished her harm. The two voices were starkly different, in tone and in demeanor. Who had they been to her? Though she knew nothing, she knew that she had trusted the first voice. The second one…she shivered suddenly at the thought of the harm they had intended.

She straightened at last, looking slowly around the room. This place had begun to bring back the ghosts with her mere touch. Each object around her could reveal yet another voice. Yet as she stood there, she was reluctant to reach out again.

Her desire to hear the voices and discover her past had dulled with the debut of the new voice. Not only would the memories of lost contact pain her, but she would also remember those who had sought to bring her agony. The castle was full of the whispers, waiting to be revealed with each touch. She shook slightly, not sure what she wanted anymore. She looked up at the bed again, training her gaze on it. Whoever they had been, they were gone. That's all that mattered now.

She lowered her head and strode out of the room, unable to look up again. She knew if she looked back, her resolve would waver. She took in a deep breath as she stepped out, wishing the pain would go away. She moved to close the door and jerked her hand back, refusing to touch the door handle. She took a step back before she turned around completely and headed back in the direction she came, ignoring all else.

She returned to the first room and finally brought her eyes up to the glass wall. She wandered slowly toward it, making sure to avoid touching the couches and the tables. She reached the place where she had come through the portal and collapsed and paused there, staring out into the dark world beyond. It was impenetrable, even with her ability to see through the night. She had never been to that world below, she instinctively knew. But she had once stood here, looking out this window. She knew this sight. But…there was something missing in the night sky that she could not recall.

_Your fragility concerns me._

Another ghost whispering beside her, this time coming without her touching anything. Instead of recoiling, she only stood there, feeling her body beginning to tremble. She closed her eyes, trying to shut it out. It didn't matter what she remembered now. Every whisper was meaningless, detached from whatever memory they floated to her from.

She wasn't sure of anything anymore. She didn't want to leave the castle, but she couldn't stand to stay either. Not with these voices murmuring to her of things she didn't understand. She had no end to her road; no matter where she went.

_What…is the meaning of my existence, if there is nothing for me in any of these innumerable worlds? _

She clenched her fists in anxiety. Without warning, she heard the slow murmur of voices, incomprehensible yet again. She covered her ears, but it did not matter; they seemed to come from within. Was it only in this world that they reached her, or would they follow?

She could not stand it any longer. Quicker than ever before, a portal opened before her in a blink and she swept through, refusing to look back at the dull walls as she escaped. She moved through the dark corridor with the sliver of light below her, still hearing the voices. She ran, trying to shake them off, and they followed.

.

.

.

Lea was sitting by himself in front of what the others had called a 'dark corridor'. He had been given a stifling leather jacket with a hood and instructions on what he needed to do.

He now only had to wait. Riku believed it would not be long; since there was no one at the Castle, she would quickly lose interest and return to Lea once more. He didn't understand it himself; why was it him she had chosen to trust? Had it been because he had not attempted to corner her like the rest?

He sighed softly, pulling a leg up and resting his chin on his knee. He had been here for almost an hour, staring at the empty beach. Lea glanced behind him at the frightening black portal. They had reassured him that while he was wearing the jacket and he walked straight to the light on the other end, he would be fine. As a precaution, Sora had volunteered to remain inside the dark corridor, hidden from sight and presence in case anything went awry on this end. He said it would take him a mere half-second to come through and to his aid.

Lea protested hotly that he didn't need protection. He was confident in the girl's demeanor. He felt he would be able to make contact without a scratch. Or rather, this time, lure her through the dark corridor without her murdering him for tricking her.

He groaned and fell back, lying on his back against the stone ledge he was sitting on. He stared up at the stars silently, thoughts moving about what had happened recently. Instead of moving back further, his thoughts remained on the girl. 'Flashlight Eyes', he called her. He considered a shortened term, and had only been able to come up with the initials to his nickname; 'FE'. After much time alone, he decided when it was spoken aloud, it took on a completely different sound, which he fully intended to address her by the next time she appeared. Her lack of true name still bothered him, though. He knew it must bother her much more to be unable to remember her own self.

Before the three had departed with Isa in tow, King Mickey had begun to have a kinder attitude toward her after he heard more about the girl. Her 'animalistic' reactions to everything told him that it was very possible that the Organization abandoned her soon after recruiting her. Had she been with them long enough, she would also be cunning, and could easily be faking her ignorance. It was yet to be seen. Lea narrowed his eyes at the sky. Why would they want to abandon her? It was cruel, but it was not past them, apparently.

Lea heard a wind-like sound and his heart began to race. He sat up quickly and saw the girl appear out of the darkness, barely on the edge of the woods as usual. He started to stand when he noticed something odd and paused. Her hands covered her ears and there was no glow anywhere about her face, telling him her eyes were closed.

She took several steps out of the corridor before it closed behind her. She shook her head violently, growling softly. She stumbled and caught herself on one knee, refusing to remove her hands from her ears. Something seemed to be tormenting her that Lea couldn't see. He threw caution aside and stood, taking several strides forward so that he was close enough to see her properly. She didn't seem to hear him. Her head was drooped and her breath shallow. The light on the beach was still rather dim, but he could see her shaking. What had terrified her so much?

"Hey," Lea finally said, seeing no end to her silent suffering. With a jolt she swiveled to face him and locked her glowing eyes onto his. He tensed instantly. Her eyes were wide, wild. He forged his confidence and held out his hands to show he was defenseless, and the pendant dangled from where he had tied it around his wrist. "It's alright, calm down."

She saw him, but barely comprehended he was there. Though they were only voices, it seemed to cloud her vision, drowning out her senses. The voices were mixing together, only filling her head with their familiar murmurs. There were no words, only noise. She wanted them to be gone and leave her in her tired silence. They instilled the pain deeper with each second. They were voices from the castle, each one different, but no less vying to be heard. There was one that was the softest, and made her chest ache the worst, but alas there were no words to be discerned from it. They were not aiding in remembrance; they were only serving to shove her toward the edge of insanity.

She didn't seem to understand him at all. He wondered if she had withdrawn even further from the world, but he could not say for sure. She had not fled after seeing him at such a close proximity. He hesitated, arms still out defenselessly. When he was trying to decide, she lowered her head again, trying to silence the voices. They served nothing with their presence. It didn't matter if she remembered anymore. It didn't matter what she did either. She had kept herself from the rest of the world, evading those who wished to destroy her, but to what end? Why was it important to preserve her life when she had no reason to continue her existence?

Despite the voices roaring about in her head, she was still able to hear that thought, forcing her to re-evaluate herself. If there was no worth, why should she exist? Perhaps if she allowed those who sought to destroy her their victory, she could end this slowly growing madness. As soon as the though crossed her mind, the voices hushed and the one she had yearned to hear again became the most prominent. It took hold of her like a vice and forced the breath out of her.

…_I saw you were strong. I knew then that you were something worth keeping, even if you saw yourself as worthless. Even if there is but a glimmer of light left, it can still be re-lit._

She hissed suddenly, grasping her head tighter, unable to drive back the growing pain.

_There is no light here. There is nothing! _she growled internally. She fought the words instantly in her agitation, and was dismayed when silence greeted her. At once, she wanted the voice to continue; she wanted it to say anything as long as it didn't leave her again. The voice faded away, drowned out by the rest, and she barely had a chance to take a breath before they were roaring once more.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" Lea said, hoping she understood him. She hadn't bothered to stand back up. She didn't look hurt, but something was definitely wrong. She still didn't look at him. Her eyes were wide, illuminating the sand below her. He lowered his arms slowly, unsure now. It was one thing to get her to follow him into the portal, but now another when she wasn't even coherent. She had gone back to the 'Castle' the others were talking about, and had come back like this. What had she seen?

"Hey…are you alight? I'm gonna call you Fey…is that okay with you?" Lea finally said, hoping addressing her by a name would wake her up. It was a small hope, and he was startled when it worked. She was looking at him now, eyes nearly blinding him. Had they grown brighter?

"Mother fu-….Damn, Fey. How'd you turn up the brightness in those eyes of yours?" Lea exclaimed, averting his gaze. She didn't hear his question. All she heard was what he had called her. It had hushed the voices in her head, leaving only an expectant murmur. They were all saying her name now, she knew. Though she couldn't quite understand them, she knew that Lea was calling her by the wrong name. Why, then, was she able to finally hear her own thoughts once more? Was it merely him, and not the name? She couldn't tell, and it only despaired her further. She gritted her teeth in frustration, suddenly releasing a low growl.

Lea started and took a few quick steps back, hands up again and eyes wide.

"Whoa, shit! I won't call you Fey if you don't want me to! I just thought you needed a name rather than 'she' or 'it'. Don't kill me over it!" Lea pleaded, wondering whether he should run or not. Though the growl had come from her only a second ago, she was merely looking at him, no aggression showing on her face. He hesitated, eyes narrowing. "Why'd you growl, Fey? Were you growling at me, or something else? What's bothering you?"

Why wasn't he running? What made him stay in place nearby? As she stared at him, pondering the strangely familiar name he was calling her, she felt the voices fade a little more, leaving only a strange fuzziness in the back of her mind. It seemed they would never go away now. It was manageable at least. The thought of returning to the castle to endure the brushing touch of voices in her ear made her shudder.

'Fey', as Lea insisted on calling her, stood at last. He took another step back for good measure, noticing that she was still shaking. At least she saw him with those eyes of hers. The moments before, she had looked straight through him, as if he were an apparition. Lea held up his arm and she looked at it, honing in on the pendant there. Her initial reaction had been to retrieve it, as it was hers. It was connected to her forgotten past, the one that coincided with her familiarity with the castle. This pendant had been there when she had resided with the Organization. Would holding it again bring the voices back?

The thought of it caused her to shrink away, clenching her fists. Lea reached out.

"Fey, what's wrong? Don't be afraid of me. Please, I'm not trying to hurt you," Lea promised, though even on the edge of his words, he was unsure. Regardless, the reason he was here was to lure her elsewhere. What was going to happen on the other side was unknown. Fey looked away, eyes unfocused. What did it matter if she retrieved the pendant? She had lost track of the days, with so many disruptions in her sleep. She had not held the pendant in her palm as she had awoken, breaking her from her dull routine. Most of all, whatever memories clung to it were meaningless now. She didn't need it any more.

She looked away, lowering the lids of her eyes until only a sliver of a glow remained. Lea tilted his head, watching her. He hadn't seen her do this last time. She had been full of fight and flight, prepared to take down anyone who stood in the way of what was hers. Now he saw what looked like defeat on her face. She wasn't running, and she wasn't coming forward either. It was as everything that held some sort of meaning for her had become nothing.

Lea took a few steps forward, noting how she didn't even bother looking up. Her mind was lost inside itself, eyes half-lidded. He closed the distance cautiously, knowing he was testing fate. But something told him to go forward. He held his breath as he closed it to two strides, heart racing. She blinked slowly and looked at him, seeming unsurprised at his presence. He was lanky and long limbed, and knew that if he wanted to, he could reach out and touch her now. Instead, he lifted his arm halfway, hand out in offering.

"Fey, don't look like that. It's not the end of the world, whatever happened. You're still alive, right? Here…if you take a walk with me, I'll give you your pendant back. How about that, huh?" Lea suggested, managing a smile. Fey blinked at him, not understanding why neither of them felt the compulsive need to place distance in their wake. She never allowed anything or anyone this close. Now he was holding out his hand defenselessly, requesting contact. She blinked again, and through the haze of her eyes, thought he was someone else for a spare moment. She straightened, staring in surprise. The image had quickly faded away, leaving her unable to recall the face that had been over his only a moment before.

The hand he was holding out was the one that he had wrapped the pendant around. If she wanted that instead of touching him, he could quickly untie the cord to avoid being dragged off in her attempt to retrieve it. But he couldn't let her have it yet. He had made a promise to bring her to that other world, as they had promised to bring her no harm if it was within reason.

Fey was still staring at him, eyes having dimmed enough to where he could return the stare. Her body language told him there had been a change somewhere in the time he had reached out and now. He had a feeling she was about to run again. Instead of becoming aggravated, he pitied her. He would have done the same thing if he had been treated how she had been.

"It's okay. I understand," Lea said suddenly, breaking the silence. She could not respond, and wouldn't have even if she had her voice. She couldn't comprehend what she had seen. Was he just like the castle? Would touching him bring back the maddening whispers again?

When she had first seen his eyes, she had felt the whispers returning, and she realized now that it would be her undoing if she touched him. She couldn't take any more chances. She recoiled suddenly, so quickly that Lea did the same, startled. She turned, unsure of where to go next to escape this place, when she saw the corridor.

Lea saw that she had noticed it and backed toward it, knowing that if she went through in this condition, the others waiting to receive her would only provoke her and enter into a fight that would no doubt leave someone injured again. If she did that, she would be seen as a threat, and …'destroyed'. It bothered him much more than it should for knowing someone not even a day.

"Fey, calm down. Stay back, away from this. Don't freak out; you have no reason to. No one's doing you any harm here. Just….take a breather before you come over here," Lea urged, holding out a hand as if to hold her at bay. She tilted her head as she lowered her stance, muscles tensed. Without realizing it, Lea was implementing reverse psychology on Fey. All had tried to deceive her, and when faced with words of truth, she immediately disbelieved it. She didn't summon this dark corridor, and yet the red-haired man was trying to block her path as he backed away, keeping her from it. There was no reason he should be here, reaching out to her again. He had been waiting on her. Had he been here to merely distract her? What would happen if he reached the portal and left her here? What dark plans were about to come undone upon her?

Lea blinked and she was gone. He froze in his tracks and swiveled his head around, shocked.

"What the fuck?!" he cried, blinking a few more times to make sure he wasn't delusional. Where the hell had she gone?

It dawned on him and he whipped around, facing the portal. She was there, inches from it. She was quick, and even if he wanted to stop her, he wouldn't be fast enough. Still, he couldn't stand there and do nothing.

"Fey, wait. Calm down before you go, then everything will be okay. Just….stay here until you're not afraid anymore," he pleaded, trying to decide whether he should approach or not. Though she had once been willing to close the distance, she seemed suddenly frightened of him. He had nothing else to blame except for her excursion to the "Castle". It was the only explanation. He was disappointed, but there wasn't much he could to do fix it. He could only keep trying.

She glanced back briefly, noting he hadn't moved. He was poor at guarding the portal, so she was in no frantic rush. Instead, she was listening to his words. Though he had at first acted to guard it, he was not doing so now. All he was asking was for her to calm before she entered. What difference did it make?

She narrowed her eyes, trying to understand him. What was different about him that made him approach her in such a unique manner? He, who felt familiar when she looked into his green eyes. He, who calmed her with his approach rather than drive her away. He who had named her.

She knew the name was not truly hers; she felt it. But regardless, when he called it out, she found herself listening. She knew now her memories meant nothing, and it had wrought a powerful restlessness back into her. There had never been a path, and there wasn't one now, but when she looked at the one called Lea…she felt that she might finally place her feet down upon the earth and not feel the devouring urge to move.

But she couldn't now. She could not while the voices were tormenting her, growing louder when she thought about making the connection. While they were whispering, she could not stay still.

Lea gasped when she turned and walked into the portal, hesitating a second later. She had made no expression, or any noise. He had no idea if she was still agitated because he couldn't read anything from her. Even if she was still wired, he couldn't stop her. All he could do was follow behind and hope she didn't react like he thought she was going to once she realized she had walked into a trap.

Lea pulled the hood on like they had instructed and followed through, unwilling to give up on her just yet.


	6. Path Less Traveled

Bit of a shorty here...and it ends abruptly. Don't worry. It's exactly what I intended...muahahaha.

Anyways, onward we charge into adventure in...what world this time?! What awaits on the other side of the dark corridor? And WHO?

Read on, and find out!

.

.

.

As soon as Fey entered the dark corridor, Sora stepped out into the path. She looked back sharply, unsure how she hadn't noticed his presence. He narrowed his eyes in menace, though he was confused. He hadn't felt Lea in any danger, and yet….

"Where is Lea? What did you do to him?" Sora growled darkly. He was torn between returning to the world she had just come from and taking chase. She blinked, her eyes winking at him from the darkness. Before Sora could say anything more, Lea came through the portal and crashed into him.

The pair fell forward and Fey leapt away, ensuring she was well out of reach. She knew there was a threat afoot after Sora had shown himself. She knew then she had stepped into a trap. But instead of being able to go back, she was forced to go forward into the next world. The entranceway had closed tight behind Lea.

Sora straightened, using the arm Lea had grabbed to drag his ally back to his feet. Sora looked between the two; Lea looking at Fey and Fey looking at Sora. Neither looked comfortable.

"Lea, what happened?" Sora asked, trying to get a quick gauge of the situation before she dashed away. Lea sidestepped and turned around, shielding Fey.

"Nothing. She didn't do anything to me, so don't hurt her. She's just…," Lea began, paused. He wasn't even too sure what was wrong with her. He looked at Sora, who was waiting tensely. "She came back from the Castle place you guys were talking about, and…well, she wasn't exactly alright."

"What do you mean?" Sora asked sharply. He needed something better than that. He wasn't meaning to be short tempered with the man, but he had to know what was going on. And fast, because she was taking another step back.

"She was holding her head in her hands like it was hurting her. She was even growling at herself, like she was hearing something that I wasn't. Furthermore…she didn't want the pendant or contact. She ran from me," Lea admitted, disappointed in his failure. Sora heard him and blinked, trying to make something of it. The Castle was empty. Why had she reacted so after she had gone there? What had she seen? He knew it was important, but he wasn't sure how they were going to be able to determine what she had seen. They couldn't enter the castle, and she refused to speak.

In the time Sora was thinking over what Lea had told him, she had made her way to the end of the tunnel, hesitating. She didn't know what lay beyond, but she couldn't remain. It was only a matter of time before she was pursued. At least she could get a head start and open a new portal before they ever escaped this one. Then she would be gone and never fall back into their reach again. That she promised herself.

Lea and Sora saw where she was and started toward her, spurring her onward. Sora wasn't intending on attack. He was approaching cautiously, not sure what to make of her yet. He knew she would keep moving if they pressed her gently forward, and perhaps there in the other world, someone would know why she was this way. It was a weak hope, but it was all he could hope for. Fey did exactly what Sora though she would, and urged Lea forward with him as she moved into the light.

She hadn't been sure what to expect when she had exited the portal, but it wasn't this. She whirled in place, ignoring the fact that she had scarcely taken a step out of the darkness. She was very much in reach when the others followed her out. At the moment, that didn't concern her.

She had never been to this world, and yet…she _had_.

The sense of familiarity was unmistakable. And with it, the unrelenting tide of voices grew in volume again, trying to be heard. She shook her head violently, trying to silence them before they got out of hand. She growled softly, as if she could threaten them.

Fey's mind focused swiftly when she began to feel the familiar presence of those who had been pursuing her. They were already in this world, fanned out on either side of her. They had been expecting her to come here; but why?

She turned her head left and then right, listening. They weren't moving. What were they waiting for? They were close enough to launch their attack from their hidden places in the trees. Refusing to waste any more time, she called forth the portal that would take her from this place and out from under their oppressing watch. She waited a long moment and realized something was wrong.

She glanced over her shoulder and around. There was no portal coming forth as she had commanded. She focused again, but to no avail. It was as if she were powerless here. Now that the voices had calmed, she suddenly felt the electricity in the air. The world was strangely silent, though she felt it should be much louder. The trap she had stumbled into was looking to be one she may not be able to escape.

This filled her with a sense of panic, thinking of the ones who had been chasing her. They wanted to reach out and touch her; she couldn't allow that. Not anymore.

She shivered at the thought, letting the anxiety peak inside of her. It would fuel her attempts to escape and give her a chance. She was already outnumbered seven to one.

At the realization that there were now more foes, she tensed, unsure of where they had come from. Even stranger, she could not tell exactly where they were.

Sora and Lea suddenly appeared through the corridor behind her. She instinctively leapt forward and was up a tree in the time it took the pair to blink. The corridor vanished behind them and Sora leaned down, looking at her from his vantage point on the ground. Lea pulled the hood back off of his head, not quite getting a look at Fey before he noticed something in the tree beside her.

"What in the living hell is that?" Lea asked, and Sora noticed it too. He didn't say anything, only shook his head slightly at Lea. Fey watched all of this, realizing where Lea had been looking. She turned to where his gaze had fallen and found nothing there.

"Welcome to Wonderland, my dear," a chilling voice suddenly said, far too close to Fey. She whipped around on the branch, backing up until it bent dangerously. Some sort of cat monster was floating next to where she had been crouching, a freakish grin on its face. Fey tilted her head, trying to understand why she hadn't noticed it at all. It seemed that ever since she couldn't silence the voices in her head, her defenses were dropping. This only served to heighten her caution. She took another step back, and the branch bent even further, threatening to snap.

'My…skittish, aren't you?" the cat inquired languidly, beginning to float forward slowly as if she weren't perched on a shockingly thin branch. She gritted his teeth as he came closer, shivering. She had a powerful sense of nostalgia threatening to take her over, but she refused to acknowledge it. The moment she did, she knew the voices would bring her to her knees again. Fey watched him come within arm's reach and recoiled.

The branch snapped as she leapt, dropping her awkwardly to the ground as she tried to catch herself. She landed hard, but she didn't stay down. As soon as she hit, she rolled over, forcing herself up.

From where she had landed, she could finally see the foes that had been hiding from her. She picked out King Mickey, Riku, and Isa. Then, with a start, she saw someone else, much closer. Her head snapped up, craning her neck as she stared at the one only a few strides away. She froze, eyes wide. The nostalgia was overpowering, threatening to drown away everything else.

Fey knew him. Everything from his odd hat and wiry hair, to the shiny shoes he wore. Everything about him sang out a lost meeting. And that was precisely why she feared him.

"So this is the Organization member you spoke of. She doesn't quite act like one, does she? She's as frightened as a cat near water!" the man exclaimed, turning to the cat briefly. "Except for you, Cheshire."

"Of course, of course," the cat purred, grinning widely as he slowly began to close in again. Fey straightened a little more, nearly in a standing position. The man's vibrant green eyes returned to her. They weren't like Lea's, but they were familiar all the same.

For a long moment he stared at her, and Fey felt his eyes were seeing much further into her than it seemed. She narrowed hers in return, waiting. There were still two more presences she had not seem manifest themselves. If she ran now, she could be facing trouble.

"What is it, Hatter?" asked Cheshire Cat, pausing in his sneaky floating. Hatter blinked, as if coming out of a daze.

"It seems as if I've forgotten," Hatter replied oddly, tilting his head at an angle to match Fey's. She straightened hers with a snap, muscles tensing again. She couldn't wait much longer.

"Tell us, Hatter. What do you think of her aura? Can you see it?" King Mickey asked suddenly, and all attention turned to him briefly. Lea crossed his arms, waiting patiently. No one had attacked yet; that was a good sign. But Fey didn't look like she was all too comfortable. He peered at her as Hatter continued to stare, wondering what the point of the aura was. Hatter crossed his arms momentarily before suddenly reaching forward.

"From here, it is hard to tell. If I could just to-"

Hatter had only just leaned forward when Fey leapt back and to the side. She noted where all her foes were and navigated swiftly around them. The two others she felt did not appear in her path, and so she threw herself into a hard run. Trees passed with a blur, quickly changing color as she entered a swamp-like area. She did not take to the trees in fear their dead and brittle limbs would break and slow her down. Instead, she weaved across the ground, quick but careful.

To her surprise, someone was in pursuit, extremely close behind. She could not chance a look back, so she pressed on, shifting her directions swiftly in an attempt to lose her foe. It was no use. Whoever was following her was shockingly fast. If this continued and she missed even one step, she would be forced into defensive mode; she felt it would not end well for either of them.

Instead of using cunning maneuvers, she focused instead on the path before her. She carved her way through the trees, making her own avenue of escape. She would not stop until she reached the end of this world, or her assailant finally let her be.

She exited the swamp at last, into the outskirts of the bog. The ground was damp and flat, only supporting a few shrubs that she quickly dodged through. She came upon a black fence and faltered, unsure of why the fence was there. As a split second of observation, she realized it was open in the middle. She swept past the table that was set between the two fences, ratting the teacups with the air of her movements. Then her pursuer spoke.

"My, what a strange sight! How she moves through this place with ease, taking such easy steps in the pathway of one long before her. How strange indeed!" he cried, signaling it was the Hatter who was following her. She glanced back at last, realizing he had suddenly slowed and was further behind. He pounded on the table as he eased by, making the teacups rattle again. "You know what this means, don't you? Bring them! Bring the emerald, waste no time!"

"Tick tock, tick tock!" a voice cried from beneath the table.

"Are you sure, Hatter? How can you be sure?" another voice asked, much deeper than the first.

Hatter looked back as he continued, glancing about to make sure he kept Fey in sight.

"Because each step she takes is the same as HER," Hatter cried. Two creatures appeared out from under the table in a flash. Fey was so mesmerized by the oversized mouse and hare that she stumbled, pulling her a step behind.

"Alice?" the mouse asked, eyes wide.

"Alice?" the hare cried, holding his top hat on his head as he straightened.

"Not quite. She is something else….she is something I cannot name. She moves in the same path as Alice, but she is not Alice. _She is the Alice who is not Alice_," Hatter ended seriously, eyeing the pair with conviction. They looked at each other in apparent bewilderment. In a second their surprise passed and they leapt upon the table. They skittered down the length of the surface, knocking teacups everywhere as they plowed through.

Fey stopped watching as she moved onward, escaping the clearing and into more trees. Regardless of how little sense the conversation had made, she was intrigued. She was an Alice, who was not Alice? The Hatter had become suddenly very excited at the realization, but it still made no sense to Fey. What was the emerald?

She dodged around a tree, eyes moving quickly to find her next path through the blinding haze of trees. Her eyes lifted to the forest before her, and focused immediately on what she didn't believe was possible.

When Fey stopped, it was such a hard stop that leaves and soil flew up away from her feet, dislodged with the force of her violent halt. She repositioned her footing and stared in alarm.

"This belongs to you, dear non-Alice," Hatter said quietly, lifting his arm and holding something out. His palm was splayed innocently, revealing something Fey didn't recognize. How could it belong to her?

_For the Alice who is __**NOT**__ Alice_ it said on a small tag attached to a vial containing an emerald-green liquid. She looked from it to the Hatter's nearly matching eyes. He stood in a relaxed stance, seeming absolutely sure she would approach him and take it. She narrowed her eyes and stepped back. She refused to trust him so easily.

She moved to the left, fully intending to lose him again. She had only taken a few steps before he was in front of her again, closer this time.

"How odd. Who doesn't like a present? Presents are grand and mysterious! You never know what's inside!" Hatter exclaimed, crossing his arms. He still held the vial in his hand. Fey huffed softly before she turned and retreated again.

Once more, Hatter blocked her path, now within a stride. When Fey realized how close he was, she took in a deep breath, recoiling to avoid contact she knew was coming.

"This belongs to you! It was made for you, and even has your name on it, NOT-Alice! I insist you take it!" Hatter said, surprisingly calm. He reached out and Fey maneuvered her body quickly out of reach. She couldn't run. Somehow he was faster than her. That left her with little to do. Hatter gave her a thoughtful look as she slowly retreated. "Why do you insist on running away? Are you trying to play a game? Very well, then. If I win, you take your present. If you win…then you outran me, and you may go where you please...with your present, of course. Ready? Go!"

Fey's eyes widened when she saw him coming for her. She knew what was coming; she could feel the flames rising. She could fight them, but she knew she would succumb eventually despite her struggling. A very small hope in the back of her mind was still lit; it embraced the idea of making contact. But it stood no chance against the gale of terror.

She snarled in warning, eyes glowing brighter. Hatter grinned, slowing his approach. He wasn't afraid at all. She reached out to the side and summoned her blade. It obeyed, making its debut in a swirl of dark shadows. She gripped the hilt, feeling the overpowering urge to swing at the Hatter and drive him back. He was still a few steps too far, and she waited. Her eyes narrowed and gritted her teeth hard.

"Terrified like a cat near water indeed," Hatter repeated, seeming completely oblivious to the fact that she meant to harm him if he came any closer. He grasped the bottle tighter in his hand, as if he was afraid to drop it. "I am not water, dear NOT-Alice. I am a friend, trying to give you a present…one that you must take no matter what."

Fey stepped back, and he matched it. She pulled her arm back and waited, threatening him. He continued to smile as he stepped within range. With a cry, she swung.

Hatter ducked under the blade, tipping his hat off for good measure so that it avoided being sliced in half. As he stood again, he replaced it, smile still intact. With the force of the swing, she was now completely open. In an attempt to remedy it, she jumped back. Hatter anticipated this; he moved forward smoothly, staying inside her vulnerable area. She didn't even have time to retract her arm and her weapon before he reached out and grabbed her jacket collar tight.

"It seems as though I've won!" Hatter exclaimed, holding her collar with an unrelenting grip as she tried to jerk back. She flipped the weapon around in her hand and jabbed it to the side, fully intending to render the man helpless. He knew this was coming and jerked her collar to the right, dragging her easily with it. He reached out with his other hand, the bottle nowhere in sight, and wrapped it tight around her wrist.

The touch was like electricity through her veins. It struck her nerves like a hot iron. She reared her head back, putting as much distance between herself and her assailant. She pulled harder, trying to release herself from his grasp. Though his presence had rang familiarity, the contact had not brought back her voices as she had feared. Instead, all she knew was this suffocating anguish.

She twisted her arm about, trying to find even the slightest weakness in his grip. She had to strike him so he would let go and she could escape. How she intended to do this was lost somewhere in the panic that had descended over her. This only served as a reminded to why she had isolated herself in the first place. These strangest she sought to trust only ever brought her this terrible sense of danger with their mere touch. Their hands that reached out to her were only there to hold her down. Only pain would come of this.

Hatter suddenly straightened his arms, putting a stride between himself and Fey. His green eyes never left hers as he lifted one leg and used it to sweep her feet out from under her. She repositioned herself as she descended, much to Hatter's dismay. As she fell, he did not let her go, going down with her. He pushed down on her trapped arm, keeping the blade wielded by her far away from him. He was forced to move further to the left, to trap her sword arm further as she brought up her knees to thwart his approach.

One knee dropped on her wrist, pinning it to the ground, much to her shock. She couldn't even move her hand anymore; he was more powerful than she had first thought. The other hand released her collar, splaying his fingers across the base of her neck instead, keeping her flat against the ground. She lifted the leg closet to him and tried to shove him off. He very quickly switched hands, using his right hand to block her leg. Her right hand twitched one more time before the sword in her hand slipped out of her grasp and disappeared into her shadow.

Fey ground her teeth, barely holding back a warning growl. She had never faced a foe who had more strength than her, nor one who could so easily outrun her. That alone was terrifying, but now that he had her completely immobile, under his piercing stare, she was frozen. He had quickly proven her strength ineffective against him, and she was at a loss. When he tilted his head, she felt his grip loosen ever so slightly. He was looking at her strangely, as if trying to understand her. Though powerful, he was unpredictable. She may yet have a chance against him.

He saw her tense and his grip tightened. Her despair flared up, feeding the flames. She would not be helpless anymore. Hatter blinked suddenly, seeming to come out of his curious daze. He made as if to speak, but Fey didn't let him.

With a surprisingly loud cry, her eyes brightened another degree. Her arms moved, unheeding to the unearthly strength holding them back. She growled as she grasped Hatter's arm with her free hand, bone-crushingly tight. She turned abruptly where she sat and threw him with incredible force.

Hatter was unprepared for her sudden surge of power. In mid-air, he managed to straighten himself enough to soften the land when he hit the ground. He made it to one foot and a knee, scattering leaves about him as he slid back through the dirt. Fey stood at last, eyes blazing with fury. She had never known a darkness this strong before, unable to resist it. She could not hold back anymore; she wasn't going to run and hide. She wouldn't be able to stop at the last second like before, because she was backed into a corner. Blood would be shed this time.

Instead of being wary of her, he stood again, watching with interest. He narrowed his eyes a bit.

"I understand now. There is no mistaking that this vial is yours. It bears the same aura as the one within you," Hatter said suddenly, seeming shocked at what he had discovered. He crossed his arms, tilting his head. Fey bristled, trusting no movement from him. "And when you let the darkness take you under…I can see your aura is fading. This is a part of you that must be returned. You must be made whole again, dear NOT-Alice…or I fear your aura will fade completely."

Fey crouched as Hatter came forward again, dismissing his words. She had no clue what an aura was, and she had no time to ponder it. Not when he was closing in again. She growled once in warning, preparing to summon her weapon again. Then Hatter lunged.

It was as if he had seen her increase in strength and upped his own. He was there in a split second, and Fey barely had time to lower her arms in defense when he reached out. She lashed out and struck his hand away, dodging back away from the second one. In the midst of her retreat, she reversed it and lowered herself, throwing her shoulder into his. Hatter was forced to step off to the side, though not off balance. In response, he reached out with blinding speed and grabbed her upper arm tight. He turned a little more and dragged her easily off of her feet. When she hit the tree, she was disoriented, unsure how she had been thrown with such speed. She fell to the ground, flinching when splinters of woods fell on her. After a quick glance up, she saw the crater in the tree where she had struck.

Hatter was coming forward again, looking at ease. Fey shook herself off and stood, muscles repairing and completely healed by the time she was straight. The Hatter grinned.

"How interesting! So you do regenerate yourself just as they say! I didn't believe them at first, and I said to myself 'I should be careful with her'. But my other self said 'No no no, be as you are. She will be herself, and she will regenerate like they say'. So here we are, learning the truth. It seems as if we can drop the courtesy for the time being, hmm?" Hatter ranted. Fey said nothing, only glared, daring him to attack again. He winked. "Don't worry. This is for your own good. I would not be forcing your hand otherwise, dear NOT-Alice."

Fey was ready this time. When he reached her, she reached out instead, capturing one of his forearms. Her other hand missed its target. Hatter took advantage of this and grabbed her free arm with both hands, seeming unheeding to her hold. She growled and lunged forward, shoving him back. She had intended to keep his hands at bay, but it seemed she had quickly failed. Her only choice left was to render him completely immobile by bringing him to his knees in pain.

She lunged again, and he tugged her arm, trying to pull her off track. He succeeded initially, but she was still formidable in strength and did not fall as he had intended for her to. She reached out and grabbed his shoulder this time, using the momentum from his own tug to drag him down. She repositioned her feet and lunged at him again, putting all the force on his shoulder. He hit the ground a second later, and Fey drove down on him without mercy.

Hatter blocked her with his arms as she let go to use both of her hands in the assault. In the initial attack, she had only borne a sword. Now she was without it, but not entirely weaponless. Somehow in her increasing aggression in his prevention of her escape, she had grown claws. Even though he knew she would kill him if she had the opportunity, he felt no ill-will toward her. Hatter saw through to her darkness, and knew she would lift herself free of it if she could. Instead of judging her, he reached out very quickly and grasped her wrists, stopping her for a brief instant. He only needed a moment to look at her anyway. There was a powerful nostalgia as he looked at her, eyes aglow and claws out as she tried to make him feel pain equal to her despair.

"My, my how you remind me of _him_," Hatter said, slicing through her. He saw her waken for the merest instant as he spoke. He blinked. "Yes indeed, you do. How odd. His name, what was his name….?"

When Hatter was pondering the answer, she redoubled her efforts to assail him, breaking one arm free of him and reaching out to pull her blade from the dark place in-between. He watching, trying to shove his colorful, distracting thoughts out of his way so he could remember. Then he saw him in his mind's eye and remembered vividly.

"Ah, that's it! You remind me of him; that strange man who came to this world so broken and suffering. Rebuffed all who sought to approach him. Isolated himself and covered his eyes as if it could hide him from himself. I remember him well. Saix, was his name," Hatter exclaimed, pleased he had managed to remember. The darkness gathering around her hand faded and she stared at him, startled.

_That name…what did he say?_

Hatter saw her pause and took this opportunity to grab her shoulders and throw her from her position on top. She rolled as she hit, scarcely standing when he was there again. She turned to retaliate, but her mind was fuzzy again, distracting her. Her eyes dulled and her claws disappeared, as though she were suddenly exhausted. She was far from it. It was the name he had spoken that was bringing back her dizzying nostalgia.

_You shouldn't be out here by yourself_.

The voice was directly behind her, a dull warning in its tones.

She whirled around, forgetting the Hatter. She searching quickly, eyes wide. The world tilted and she stumbled, fighting back the dizziness that was only growing. Hatter hesitated. A moment later, he saw his allies approaching from the left, but she was not looking that way. In fact, he didn't have a clue what she was doing. Ever since he had recalled the man who she reminded him of, and spoken his name, she had withdrawn, so swiftly that he knew the danger had passed.

"Dear NOT-Alice," Hatter called, reaching out and grabbing her shoulder with confidence. The touch startled her out of her stupor and brought her back to reality. She jerked free and whirled around, staring at him in wariness. He held out the small vial again, urging her to take it. "Taek this; it is yours. Drink of it. It is a part of you that must be returned."

_A part of me? From my past?_ She wondered, staring at it. She was frozen, still in the echoing throes of the voice and the trills it brought. The voices would not end; they came to her from everywhere. If she drank this vial, and if it truly was a part of her, it would only drag her further back into her memories. Then she would know nothing but the soft whispers of those she could not remember. She narrowed her eyes. She didn't want this.

Hatter knew what she was going to do, but was not fast enough this time. Her hand hit the vial in his palm and sent it spinning away at a blinding speed.

The others finally arrived at a reasonable distance in time to see the green vial strike a tree and shatter.

Hatter turned around and stared without a word. He became a statue, unblinking as he gazed at the snowy remains of what was once the vial and the 'emerald', as he called it. Fey was so lost that reason did not ring true in her ears. All she knew was fear and distrust, and it made him sad. He didn't understand why she was this way, and his pure mind tried to process it. He wanted to help her, and he felt that the vial was the key. But now…

Isa and Lea were behind Sora and Riku for caution, and King Mickey stood between the two apparent warriors. They looked on at the quiet scene, unsure as to what was happening. Fey wasn't fleeing, and Hatter was only standing there, looking away.

Hatter moved finally, dropping to one knee beside the tree where the vial had shattered. Fey tensed her muscles again, ready to flee. Her foe was distracted, and his reason for pursuing her had been destroyed. Perhaps he would leave her be at last.

"How terribly sad. It's been lost…just like you," Hatter said, reaching out and touching the shards carefully. His green eyes missed nothing as he scanned the wreckage. "But perhaps…there is hope."

Fey had started to turn around when Hatter suddenly stood. He lunged for her once again, and Fey dodged back, confused. Why was he still pursuing her?

"An aura is like a droplet of water," Hatter sang out suddenly, leaping across trees as she struggled to escape. No matter where she turned, he was cutting her off again, much to her dismay. The fourth time she finally attacked, finding herself trapped once more. She lashed out, trying to drive him away, but no matter what, he would not retreat. And every time, he was getting closer, reaching out with one hand to try and snag her.

"Though separated again and again, when one small piece touches another….it's like they were never apart for even a second!" Hatter continued, his tone light and almost playful. Fey glared at him as he reached out again, narrowly missing her.

Fey noted this and feinted. When she reached out for her, she grabbed him instead and turned, pulling him forward. He was able to keep his balance until she leapt onto his back and forced him flat against the ground.

Sora and Riku tensed, ready to enter the fight, when King Mickey reached out quickly to stop them. He shook his head slowly, eyes on the brawl. He saw something that they didn't. Hatter was a formidable foe, even against her. Even if he was having trouble subduing her, his strength was not all he had. Though he succumbed often to madness, his cunning was surprisingly sharp.

Lea feared for the both of them, while Isa watched calmly. Both of them were shockingly strong; he had already spotted the tree that looked like it had been struck by lightning. There was a place of impact, and the tree was covered in veins of cracks where the force had nearly shattered it. Their battle was fierce, and it seemed as if Fey had snapped again. She looked like she wanted to murder the Hatter.

It was as if Hatter had been waiting for this. Fey reached back to summon her weapon once again. Hatter flipped over, tearing free of the grip she had on his shoulder. She fell to the side, on her hands and knees, already ready to fight in that position. He turned his body until he was able to hook a leg under her, risking himself as she reached down to retaliate. As soon as her hands wrapped around his leg, he flipped again, carrying her with him. His knee drove into her chest, pressing her hard against the ground. When she hit, Hatter forgot that her strength had withdrawn with the calming of her fury. He felt the crack of bones under him, and the sound reached even Lea and Isa's ears. Lea gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stay silent. There was nothing he could do, and his words would accomplish nothing. Isa saw his struggle and reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder. Isa wanted to say something just as bad, but he was able to hold himself in check much easier than Lea. This wasn't their battle.

Fey's hands clenched when she felt a collection of her ribs snap, taking in a breath of shock. She threw her head back and fell still, trying to keep herself calm. She had been injured before; she would heal. But she knew it wouldn't be fast enough. For the time being, she had been literally crushed into submission.

Hatter used the precious time to hesitate, lifting his knee. He hadn't meant to hurt her so badly, but in the moment he had taken action and not reigned himself in. He had had little choice and time. He repositioned himself so that he was over her; not touching. She took in a shuddering breath and lowered her head until she could see his face again. Her eyes were full of nothing but suspicion and fear. She expected the worst outcome from this, and Hatter did not blame her.

Hatter reached out again and Fey turned her head away, still struggling in her weakness to avoid him. She reached an arm up to block him, but barely got it off the ground before it fell again. When she turned her head, she spotted the group that had finally caught up with them. What were they doing here? Why were they standing there watching? What did they intend to do to her?

Hatter grasped her chin gently and turned her back to face him. She jerked and closed her eyes, partially from his contact, and partially from the jolt of pain as her ribs began to heal. Hatter smiled at her, to which she returned a glare.

"All I see is darkness in your eyes. I hope that one day the light can return to them. I think at one time they were lit from within as they glow on the outside. For now, accept this part of yourself. Don't run from yourself. This aura…it must be one with you again, I believe," Hatter explained softly, so that only Fey could hear him. She narrowed her eyes even further. She had destroyed the vial of liquid he had spoken about in such a manner. There was nothing left of it. Why then…?

Before she could realize it, Hatter tilted the hand that held her chin in place, forcing her jaw open ever so slightly. Within his hand, she saw a glint of something held carefully in the place where his thumb met his hand. Even with the strength it took to hold her jaw open, he still managed to hold a sliver of glass in the same hand without so much as a scratch upon him. But it was not just a sliver of glass he held.

A drop of emerald green fell from it suddenly and she watched mesmerized. It fell into her open mouth, sliding back into her throat, where it became one with her.

As her ribs were in the final stages of healing, she forgot the ache that came from there, and even Hatter's touch when an icy cold swept through her throat. She gasped in a breath, feeling as if her through was frozen solid. A second later, it reversed, becoming unbearably hot. She leaned her head back, choking in air. Hatter stood and stepped back, knowing his work had been done at last. Whatever happened after that he could not remedy. This was all he had to offer. If this was the wrong NOT-Alice, then there was nothing left to give to the next one. However, he was certain that he had chosen correctly.

When the heat in her throat subsided, so had the healing. She was fully recovered and free again. She lifted her head again and glared at the Hatter, confused at his sudden reasoning at backing away and merely observing her. Did he think her suddenly too weak to fight or run anymore? He was sorely mistaken.

When she did sit up, Hatter seemed to wake up and came forward, fully intending to help her up. She recoiled, eyes wide. She prepared to growl again in warning, but the noise that escaped was not what she intended.

"S-s-stay the fuck away from me!" Fey roared, piercing through the silence like a whistling arrow. The group looked on, astonished, and Hatter grinned ever so slightly. Though it was not what he had thought was going to happen, it was well all the same. The silent girl had regained her voice…and fiercely so.

Isa turned his head very slowly and looked at Lea with an unreadable expression.

"Way to go," Isa said sarcastically. "She talks just like you. Fantastic."


	7. Tell Me

Greetings, once again.

Hope the last ending was to your satisfaction. It sure made me chuckle.

Yay for long chapters! This one is a lot of dialogue, but don't worry….things are heating up.

Ready to hear more of the dubbed 'Fey's voice? Then read onward!

.

.

.

Lea for once was speechless. Isa stared at him for a long moment before returning his attention to the suddenly vocal girl, whom Lea had named 'Fey'. It seemed as if even the trio ahead of them were shocked for the moment.

Hatter didn't approach nor back away as Fey remained half-crouched, having fully intended to stand before her voice suddenly left her mind and came out of her mouth. It was the first time she had spoken. It had frightened her as much as it had amazed her. The feeling of being trapped eased and her body relaxed. Finally…she had a voice in which to call out to the world. Even so, she wondered if she even had the courage to do that anymore. Now, all that would escape her lips would be similar to her first words. She wanted those who tried to corner her to keep their distance.

At last, she could speak, and as for the cause…she knew it was the emerald liquid from that vial. Had someone known all along the reason for her muteness and placed the antidote here, specifically for her? Why did it have the same aura as herself? It made little sense at the moment, but she was too distracted to ponder it too long. She reached up and touched her throat, remembering the feelings that had coursed through her the moment before her voice had returned.

"Things…are more complex than I imagined," King Mickey finally said, seeming perturbed. Riku and Sora glanced down at him.

"What was it Hatter did to make her speak?" Sora asked, knowing that Mickey had seen and understood what had occurred. All he had seen was Hatter manage to pin her down with a surprisingly cruel injury. One which now seemed to have completely healed.

"He held something in his hand over her…from there I'm not sure. But whatever he did unmuted her; now even I'm aware of her aura. Before it was simply not there; that's why we didn't know she existed. Now I can sense her, though it may be faint," Mickey replied, brow furrowed. The situation needed to be reassessed.

"So," Lea chimed in suddenly, having overhead them. Isa glanced over, eyes still narrowed. Lea evidently hadn't gotten it registered in his head the entire situation. Fey's language had been badly influenced by him, whether he realized it or not. "That means she wasn't holding back; she really was unable to speak."

"Precisely," King Mickey answered. There were several reasons leading to this, not all that necessarily made her less of an enemy. With the power she possessed, she could have been rejected from the Organization in fear of what she could accomplish. Wiped clean and muted for good measure, she would be as helpless as…well, as she was now. She was still dangerous, but could speak nothing of what she had seen. It was unlikely, in the sense of required power and reason. She was a Nobody, and yet she did not even know how to interact. It was more likely she had been cast out even before she had been named.

Lea was a bit relieved at this; it meant their pursue might be over, and no one would get hurt. Though that had initially been his desire, looking at her now made him hesitate. Yes, the chase would be over, and she would return to her isolation, resenting the world. He wasn't sure that was a kinder option.

"Just like a drop of water! It was a part of you after all, dear NOT-Alice!" Hatter said finally, seeming satisfied. Now that his mission had been accomplished, he was quickly lapsing back into his colorful madness. He smiled and reached out again, as though forgetting his initial reason for not coming forward.

Fey stood and took a few steps back, eyes narrowing.

Stay….back…dammit!" she snapped, shoulders raised as though she were going to attack again. Hatter laughed softly, turning his gaze up at the trees. Isa was glaring at Lea, who noticed this after a few seconds. He looked at his best friend in confusion.

"What?!" Lea cried, trying to understand why Isa was giving him such a 'go to hell' look.

"Did someone say rain? It is getting quite cloudy!" Hatter exclaimed, turning toward the group that waited nearby. He strode toward them instead, forgetting Fey. "That's the thing about rain…it comes and goes without warning, and there are those who love it, and those who hate it. But no matter which way it is, raindrops will always become one with another even if it came from a different cloud. All it takes is chance…and a little touch."

At his last word, Hatter had reached them and held his arms out to either side, smiling brightly. Fey was still standing in the trees, watching warily. She still couldn't summon any portals, which meant her stay in the strange world wasn't over quite yet.

"Hatter," King Mickey said simply, not quite bringing Hatter back to reality. He was gazing up at the sky, as if trying to determine if it would rain or not. There wasn't a cloud in the sky to be seen. "Hatter, tell me what you did to make her speak."

Hatter blinked and looked down at King Mickey as if seeing him for the first time. He bowed deeply, sweeping his hat off his head.

"Greetings, King! Your arrival is quite unexpected! To what do I owe the pleasure?" Hatter asked innocently, straightening and glancing about at the others who were present. His gaze lingered on the pair at the back.

"Mad Hatter, indeed," King Mickey sighed. He knew he was going to need patience this time. "Hatter, turn around and look. We've come here because of-"

He spun in place, moving his outspread arms until they were pointing toward Fey. She watched without moving.

"Ah yes, I quite forgot. You want to discover who she was! And it will be much simpler now that she can speak," Hatter said with gusto, seeming to have forgotten King Mickey's question. In a second, Hatter was near Fey again, this time behind her. She leapt to the right-straight toward the waiting group. She glared at him in fury, gritting her teeth. He waved his hands at her, as if to shoo her away. She instinctively did, much to her dismay.

"Would you like to hold my hand as we walk to greet the others? You look frightened! Why are you scared so? All they want to do is talk!" Hatter asked, smiling as he weaved closer. Fey jerked back again, closing the distance between herself and the group. No matter which way she turned, she was slowly being herded toward the others.

"Don't touch me," she warned, keeping her limbs close to her body. Hatter danced about, looking at her oddly.

"Tell me, dear NOT-Alice, why don't you want to hold hands? It's so wonderful! To take a pleasant walk with another, hand-in-hand is something you cannot dislike!" Hatter argued, watching her as she retreated further. She made several leaps backwards to place more distance between them, now alarmingly close to the other group.

"I don't want to touch…," she began, pausing when he stopped. She looked to her right, where the others stood. She was ultimately trapped now. She didn't know what to do; what was the point of a voice if she had lost her interest in the questions she had long wanted to know.

"Tell me your name," King Mickey suddenly said, drawing her focus. She stared at him for a long moment, as though she hadn't heard him. Instead of growing uneasy under her gaze, he waited patiently. She couldn't answer what she didn't know. If no one else knew, how was she supposed to? She had been named several things, but she knew they weren't her true name. "What are you called?" Mickey rephrased, noticing the blank stare. He knew she understood, but she was acting now like she didn't. Why couldn't she answer something so simple?

"Monster. Freak. NOT-Alice. Fey," she listed off slowly, watching their expressions change. Mickey seemed surprised, while everyone else became uncomfortable.

"Are any of those your true name?" King Mickey asked, too relieved she was answering to be angry that she had danced around his question. She glanced back as Hatter shifted, looking up at the sky curiously again.

"No," she replied, turning her attention back to him. She was making a connection she never had before, and all without making contact. It felt strange to her to be moving her jaws in such a manner. It was completely foreign…but not altogether unwelcome. For the time being, it had her interest. Riku glanced over at Sora, who seemed at a loss. She was being the most civil he had ever seen her. What had been in that antidote?

"Then what is your true name?" King Mickey asked again, not ready to let her avoid the question again. She went mute again, staring at him expectantly, as if _he_ was supposed to answer. King Mickey finally narrowed his eyes. "Why don't you answer?"

"I…don't remember," she said at last, blinking when Mickey's eyes widened. He looked across at his two subjects. There was something in his gaze that she didn't catch. Mickey finally looked at her again, seeming cautious.

"Tell me…what do you remember? Tell me your first memory," King Mickey asked, needing to know. It would not answer everything, but perhaps it would clear the table of many theories that were circulating about his head.

Fey glanced down at her jacket, seeing the severed cord on her jacket. Her sharp gaze stabbed into Lea, then down to his wrist where her pendant dangled. Why did this mouse want to know? What did it matter?

Lea noticed her look and lifted his arm, watching her gaze follow it. He knew she was looking at the charm he still possessed. Without speaking to the others, he came forward, brushing past Sora, who reached out to catch him. He shook the hand loose.

Fey watched him as he approached, wondering whether she should run or not. She knew she was in no danger facing him, but the voices…

"No," Fey said suddenly, raising a hand as if to halt him. To her surprise, he obeyed, blinking at her in confusion. She struggled for words to make him understand.

"What's wrong with me coming over there? You know damn well I'm not gonna hurt you. You could kill me in a second if you wanted to, anyway," Lea asked, still a few strides away. Her hand twitched as she struggled to speak, despising her inability to clearly pull the thoughts from her mind and push them through her mouth.

Lea waited tensely, unsure what to do now. Even she seemed to be having trouble. Her mouth was trembling and her eyes were unfocused. She was trying to say something, but didn't know how. He only waited, hoping she could get it out. He wanted to understand why she was so withdrawn and wouldn't let him near her.

"Voices," she finally said, blinking at him. He blinked back, more confused than before. She shook her head. "Don't touch. Makes voices…," she repeated, bringing her hands instinctively to cover her ears. When no voices came, she dropped her hands and looked at him again. His mouth was slightly open, eyes bright with sudden understanding. He was having a flashback of the beach, when she had stumbled through the portal from the Castle, tormented by something unseen.

But that was from the Castle. Why was she pointing at him?

"Wait…voices, because of me?" he asked, stupefied. King Mickey looked at his subjects for answers, but they were just as dumbfounded as him. He looked down at his arm. That's why she didn't want him touching her. He felt relieved, but at the same time was dispirited. Why was it him that caused her torment?

"Could you enlighten us as to what's going on?" Riku cut in, bringing Lea out of his daze. Fey looked at Lea still, since he was the closest.

"Well…it's a little complicated, and I'm not sure if I've got this right, but-"

Fey suddenly jumped forward, nearly ramming into Lea. She whirled in place, eyes narrowed. Hatter was exactly where she had been standing, looking down at his hand.

"You had a butterfly on your back, my dear," Hatter said lightly, opening his hand as a neon orange butterfly fluttered up out his hand.

"I said don't touch me, you son of a bitch," she hissed, seeming ready to go back into battle mode. Lea stayed where he was, too stunned to say anything. King Mickey sighed.

"My…what a mouth she has on her," he said softly, wishing the voice she had returned to her was less conspicuous about its colorful vocabulary. Sora rolled his eyes.

"I know you haven't been able to talk, but I mean…who taught you to talk like _that_? Who have you been listening to that spoke like that?" Sora called out to her. She glanced back briefly, signaling she had indeed heard him. Before she could answer, Isa spoke up.

"That would be Lea. He tends to rub off on people when he's around them too much," Isa pointed out. It was Lea's turn to whirl around.

"What the hell man, it wasn't me! I've barely been around her for two hours! How could it have been me?" Lea protested hotly, annoyed that his best friend was calling him out. In truth, he was worried it really was him.

"Who was it, then?" Isa asked, looking directly at Fey. She didn't face him, wary of the Hatter's close proximity. She looked at him over her shoulder again. King Mickey turned around, aware they were very swiftly getting off topic. They finally had her talking, though vivaciously, and they had to get answers out of her until she clammed up again.

"Friends, that's hardly the issue at the moment," King Mickey cut in, trying to redirect them. Fey ignored him, still focused on Isa. The words she used were powerful, she knew. They caught attention immediately, which is what she had intended. She had rarely heard the extensive use of them until she had entered the Castle, opened up the journal, and read the words of…

"Axel," she finally answered. It seemed the word was as powerful as the curses she had learned. The group fell silent, many with stunned looks on their faces. Sora was the first to come shakily out of his daze.

"Wh-what…what name did you say? Say it again," Sora asked. Fey noticed the alarm on their faces and hesitated. She didn't like the way they were looking at her anymore. It was Lea's expression that cut through her the most. Though she hadn't touched him, he looked like as though she had reached out and struck him in the chest.

"How do you know that name?" Isa asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Fey looked behind her again, on edge. The air was filling with tension that was biting at her frayed nerves. Hatter was looking at her curiously. His gaze shifted between her and the rest of the group, and his eyes suddenly focused.

"Answer the question," King Mickey ordered, as uneasy as the rest. No matter how the situation had begun to look, there was no way she should know the Organization's name unless she remembered him. Could she be deceiving them at this very moment?

Fey looked away, shaking. The air felt charged and she couldn't concentrate. She wanted to run, but there was nowhere for her to go. How could she explain what she had seen written in that book? When she didn't answer, she heard movement. She whirled around, forgetting about the Mad Hatter. Lea had taken a step forward, looking hard at her.

She had little choice but to answer. She gritted her teeth.

"I don't know Axel…I read a book with his name in it in the Castle. His words…I remember," Fey explained quietly. She waited a long moment in the silence before she looked up at the others in front of her. Lea was still staring at her, seeming stricken. Isa took a step forward and hesitated.

"Lea…," he called quietly, seeming to sense his friend's despair. Lea took in a deep breath, not responding. Fey looked past him to King Mickey, who was attempting to have a private conversation with the other two. He evidently didn't know the extension of her hearing abilities, for she could understand every word he mumbled.

"We can't be sure about her anymore. How much does she actually remember? We need to know," King Mickey murmured. Sora gestured forward.

"Let's continue to ask her. She's been compliant thus far," Sora suggested, realizing a second later why King Mickey was in dilemma. "You think she's deceiving us? That she knows more than she's saying?"

"No, she's not," Hatter chimed in, arms clasped behind his back. Fey side-stepped until she could see both sides perfectly well. Lea's eyes followed her absently. King Mickey was silent for a long moment. The Hatter's mind came and went, but when Hatter trusted someone, he was always right. Mickey looked to Fey again, whose eyes had strayed to Lea again. Something was wrong with him.

"Ngh," Lea groaned, turning away from her. "Fuck. This can't be re-…ugh" He sounded weak, stricken by something no one could see. Isa was at his side in an instant, startling Fey. Isa grasped his shoulders, holding his friend tight until Lea managed to look at him.

"I'm sorry that I told you those were only dreams," Isa said quietly. Lea's green eyes closed for a long moment. "You didn't believe me, but I had to keep telling you that it wasn't real. I thought that if you couldn't even understand what you were seeing…maybe it was better you didn't fully remember."

Even Hatter was listening to the pair. Speaking the name had set off more than they realized. Isa looked up furtively. These were the last group of people he wanted to be present at this time. He wondered if it was ever going to happen, but it was happening at the worst time. When Fey had said 'Axel', it had confirmed Lea's long-held suspicion.

Night after night, Lea had been tormented with visions of himself doing terrible things. He had been in darkness, submerged in it to his core. He had been with so many others, whose faces he could never see clearly. He had been many places that had been blurry, and nothing made sense to him. Except for the names. So many times, those people had looked straight at him and said 'Axel'.

He had pondered them as they recurred, speaking to his best friend, Isa about them. Lea had a strange feeling about them and had begun to suspect they were somehow connected to him. His friend had questioned him extensively about them, and then had finally grown silent about them when he realized Lea didn't have a full understanding as to what they meant. Isa had told him it couldn't be possible; they were only fuzzy dreams to be left alone. Isa let them pass by, deciding to keep quiet instead of dragging those nightmares back into reality. It had seemed as though Lea could have gone on without ever remembering…until she had spoken his 'other' name.

"Goddammit, Isa. Why didn't you tell me they were…they were real? How was it better that I passed them off like a dumbass? Like none of that shit ever happened?" Lea hissed, blinking rapidly. The dreams had suddenly cleared. Things that had been only a passing nostalgia materialized to life in his mind. Everything became crystal clear, and the gap closed. He remembered everything.

"If you didn't remember, I wasn't going to force you to simply because I alone had to shoulder it," Isa answered, removing his hands when he saw anger fill Lea's eyes. His moment of weakness passed and he straightened, eyes sweeping the group. The others noticed immediately that something had changed. He was no longer the 'simple human' they had brought with them. There was a glint in his eyes that made them feel that he knew more about the situation now than they did.

"As pissed as I am right now, I don't think this is the best place to talk about this," Lea said, and Isa knew exactly what he meant. Lea turned around and faced Fey again, who was watching him with emotionless eyes. Yes, she was definitely a Nobody. He recognized that look. But that was all he recognized. She hadn't been there when he had been there. In fact, it was impossible that she even existed. Unless someone had survived the complete destruction of the Organization and of its overhead leaders.

Even with the straight knowledge he had no previous encounters with her, something still tied her to him. He had lost none of his desire to help her. Her voice had returned, but the gap between her and the world still remained. And with it, the one between her and Lea.

Fey noticed the change too, but she didn't understand it. He was the same person who had been standing in front of her throughout the questioning, but something was different. He almost seemed…_more_ familiar.

Sora gave Riku a sharp glance, but he wasn't paying attention. He was watching Lea and Isa with suspicion. Lea had acted so strangely to the name, as had Isa. Now that he was looking at the pair, they had a strange resemblance to some certain people he'd seen before. He finally met Sora's gaze, seeing the same suspicion there.

"Tell me, 'Lea'," Riku began quietly, wondering if it was possible that his suspicions were correct, "was she part of the Organization?"

Lea and Riku stared across at each other for an unbearably long moment. He knew his reaction to his other name was a giveaway, but he was hoping the others might have been confused for a moment longer so he could formulate a plan. They couldn't be tricked now. They were looking at each other now in remembrance; remembrance of standing on opposite sides of a terrifying struggle.

If he denied it, the results would be unforeseen. It was still possible they could pull a blindfold over the eyes of their once-enemies, though it would be nearly impossible. If he confirmed it now, he wasn't sure how that was going to go either. He wasn't part of the Organization anymore, but it was clear from their uneasiness that they had expected his existence to be…well, non-existent.

Apart from his internal argument, he had one more reason to consider. The one standing in front of him was still balancing on a needle-point, under a scrutiny she didn't deserve. He didn't know where she had come from, but it wasn't from the times they feared. She had come from somewhere else. Isa watched him apprehensively, knowing what Lea was thinking. In truth, he knew what Lea was going to say before he said it, and made no move to stop him.

"No. She wasn't there," Lea finally answered, looking into Fey's eyes. She blinked, confused. She had heard every word, but the situation had suddenly changed when she had said that name. There had been a shift in focus, and it was now on Lea. He had reacted so strangely, as though the name had been of some significance to him. Now he was speaking as if he had actually been there. Even so…Lea had already said it. She wasn't there. Nothing made sense anymore.

King Mickey understood with a snap. Riku and Sora nodded at him when he looked to them for confirmation.

"I never thought I would see you two again," King Mickey said simply, speaking the truth instead of false greetings. Lea looked over with a wry smile.

"I don't know what you're talking about. You and Lea have never met," Lea pointed out, only serving to confuse Fey further. For the moment, she had been forgotten. She looked over carefully at the Hatter, who winked at her. The air took on a different feel and she glanced around, wondering if it was her imagination.

"You know exactly what I mean. I didn't know there was anything left for you to manifest back into. Same goes for you, Isa. I'm surprised to see either of you here…in any form," King Mickey admitted. He wasn't sure if it would bode well or ill for them. If these two were back…who else had returned? And on whose side were they? Sora was gazing at Lea thoughtfully, remembering the last time he had seen Axel. Even with the evidence presented, it still felt impossible that Axel could exist inside that body that only mildly resembled him.

"So, what? We got our hearts back. We're no different than you now. Couldn't harm you if we even wanted to. If anything, you're a danger to _us_," Lea said suddenly, seeming to read their minds. The looks of unease on their faces said it all. Lea knew their previous encounters had not all been entirely pleasant. However, as they looked at each other now, things were different. He hoped they understood that.

"You are of no danger unless you lose your hearts again," King Mickey pointed out, more of a musing than an actual jab. He wasn't even sure if it was possible; he was leaving the possibility open. If it was possible that it could happen, Isa and Lea could prove more of a threat than the girl they had originally been chasing. They had to tread carefully.

Unfortunately, he had already stepped over the line.

Lea's calm demeanor shifted instantly and his eyes narrowed. His hands clenched and he started toward King Mickey.

"You mother fucking rat, I'm gonna-"

"Lea, stop!" Isa exclaimed, wrapping his arms around his friend as he struggled to hold him back. They were already under scrutiny; attacking them now would do no good for them. King Mickey didn't realize how deeply his comment had struck until he saw Lea's furious expression. Before Mickey could explain he had meant nothing by the comment, Lea overtook him.

"Have any of you ever had to endure that? To be a Nobody? Feeling nothing, not even when you cut someone down who was just standing in your way? Being nothing but a pawn in a game? Under that fuckin' psycho's rule?!" Lea snarled, unable to break free of Isa' hold. His friend refused to let go, knowing it would not end well for Lea in his condition. He had been a fierce fighter before, but now that they had returned to their old selves, they had given up much of their power. When no one answered, and Sora looked down at the forest floor, Lea went on. "I didn't think so. You have NO fucking clue. There's no way in hell I'd ever go back to being that again. Put a blade on my throat, I'd take death over losing my heart again. So, tell me again that I might lose my heart. If anyone fucking dares to try and take it, I won't go without a fight. Maybe then you'd understand how I can't…can't go back."

Sora didn't take his eyes off the ground. He had seen Axel's final moments; he had indirectly been the cause. Lea made it sound like he had been a terrible Nobody who had no regard for any other. It wasn't true, and Sora had witnessed the truth first-hand. However, he had not always been there. And he had not stood in Axel's shoes. Lea was right; none of them could understand how it felt without their hearts.

Isa relaxed his hold, then let go completely when he saw that Lea had calmed a little. Lea still didn't take his eyes off of King Mickey, who was regarding him with the utmost tranquility.

"If you're still being a paranoid bastard, then there's not much we can do about it. All I've got is my words, and it's up to you whether to believe them or not," Lea relented, though his eyes held the same degree of ferocity. "I'm never going back. I never want to be part of that Organization again, or have anything to do with it whatsoever."

His words were followed by silence. Riku found his eyes on Fey, wondering if Lea understood the gravity of his words. The one he had been so intent on protecting was associated with the Organization in one way or another. King Mickey bowed his head briefly.

"I understand, Lea. Forgive me for my rash words. I do believe you," King Mickey admitted, seeing Lea cool instantly. "I do know the passion of others who were once in the same position as the girl is right now. It is a state of being no one would willingly return to. I only meant that if _she_ is here…then something of the Organization could have survived, and you two could be in danger as well. She is a dangerous fighter, yet she lacks the will. I worry why she has been left alone. And if so, how much longer until someone else manifests back into this world to take her under their wing? I do not wish to see history repeat itself."

Isa and Lea understood what he was saying. Whoever had made her had done so in secrecy, or alarmingly recent. There was a reason she existed. It made sense that she was lost and wandering if no one had come back to claim her, but Mickey was right…was this only a waiting period before someone brought her under heel and turned her into a trained killer like they had once been?

Lea finally let his anger fizzle out and looked over his shoulder at the nameless girl, who was still standing close by, eyes blinking slowly as she listened. King Mickey's words stuck with him. If there was something deeper going on, and he continued with his attempts to console her, he could find himself back in the grasp of something he didn't want. He wasn't strong like he used to be; he would be crushed with ease. He feared it.

But as he looked at her, the one he had named 'Fey', he knew he couldn't condemn her to the same fate he wanted to hide from. If there was someone trying to drag her back into the nightmare he had fallen out of, he would be there to grab her hand and pull her out. If only she would reach out and take it.

She blinked suddenly and her eyes cleared. Her gaze became suddenly piercing, hitting him like knife points. She had been lost in thoughts, replaying the conversations that had occurred before her, and it seemed like something suddenly had clicked. She still didn't understand why they were looking at Lea differently, but she knew one thing. She was part of this 'Organization', and they wanted nothing of it. They had gotten every answer they had needed from her.

Hatter anticipated her step backward before she even tensed the muscles to lift her leg.

"My dear NOT-Alice, be careful where you stray. It seems there was a price for regaining your voice," Hatter warned, looking at her thoughtfully when her focus rounded about to him. "Once upon a time, I could look at you and close my eyes, and I wouldn't even know you were there anymore! But now…I wonder who was hiding you from what."

Fey stared at him blankly. Was he warning her that the ones who were chasing her could now sense where she was at? She turned and looked at them suspiciously, but they looked just as bewildered. Lea looked down.

"Ah, shit," he said softly. He looked back at King Mickey. "Why was her presence hidden…and how did it come unsealed?" King Mickey nodded to the Hatter, who was wandering about nearby, trying to find a vantage point so he could see the sky better.

"He gave her something," King Mickey answered. Riku tapped him a second later, gesturing forward as Mickey looked at him. The girl had taken a few steps back, and there was a dark, gaping rip in the world behind her. She was preparing to leave again. King Mickey looked to the Hatter in alarm.

"Mad Hatter, what are you doing? The seal is broken!" he exclaimed, though Hatter seemed unhurried in his response.

"Ah, but it's going to rain soon. There's no need for her to stay here anymore. The rain will pour whether she is here or not; there's no helping it," Hatter answered, his eyes never leaving the cloudless sky. Riku and Sora stepped forward, and this time Lea didn't try to block them. Instead, it was him that made the move this time.

When Fey had turned her back, she had forgotten them. Their words were nearly meaningless to her. They had trapped her here, and the Hatter was releasing her. He had given her back her voice as well, though she seemed to have no use for it anymore. She wanted to find a place where she couldn't hear the voices; where she could forget for good.

Lea's hand closed around her forearm, startling her up through her thoughts and back to reality. She whipped her head around to see him, every nerve in her body singing with anxiety. Instead of feeling the urge to attack him or shake him off, something else happened. The voices started speaking again, several at once. They were nearly deafening, but she caught the one word they were all repeating. She looked Lea in the eye, trying to understand what it meant.

"Axel," she said softly. His grip loosened, though not in relent. He was staring at her with shock. There was no way she could have known his old name; no one had looked specifically at him and called him 'Axel'. How could she know of him when he never even knew she existed? So she had read about him from his stupid damned log book they forced him to keep, and had heard him when he said he was once a Nobody, but that didn't explain this. She tilted her head slightly, listening to the voices. They had quietened.

Why were they calling him Axel, when she had this feeling deep down when she saw him…

"You're not Axel," she added, slowly pulling her arm free. She looked down and saw the pendant on his arm, well within reach. She didn't touch it. There was still no reason to have it anymore. The one before her reminded her of Axel, but it was not him. The realization of her nostalgia told her that she had indeed known him in some fashion once upon a time. She looked at Lea one more time, wondering why the voices insisted that it was him.

"How…how do you know?" Lea asked, reaching out again to keep her from straying before she answered him. To his surprise, he caught hold of her again with ease. She pulled at him but didn't break contact. She was too busy listening to the voices again, repeating themselves as they had before. "How do you know that I'm not Axel? We've never met before."

When her eyes met his, he felt them searching through him, looking for something she wasn't finding. He felt exposed under that gaze, though there was nothing hidden where she was looking. The feeling of relief that she had finally allowed him to touch her was forgotten. At the moment, all that mattered was her strange knowledge of his existence.

"I do not know who you are. The voices speak the name, but they are not speaking it to you. They are speaking it _because_ of you," she answered, pulling harder away from him. Every moment Lea requested her to speak, she couldn't resist. Her voice had been gone for so long that it longed to be heard no matter what. It should be her asking the questions, but she had lost the desire to know. Lea's brow furrowed.

"Because…of me?" he murmured, repeating his earlier question to her. Why was it him? And what were the voices she kept talking about? Where was the connection…?

Isa's mind was processing the same dilemma, but had caught on one second sooner than Lea.

"Memories," Isa stated simply, knowing Lea would understand. He instantly looked back, refusing to let go of Fey.

"We both know there's something fucked up with that," Lea said, blinking rapidly as he tried to gather his thoughts. Riku shook his head.

"It's perfectly rational. All who become a Nobody forget themselves. The memory returning in pieces like hers is doing seems normal from what we've seen before," Riku pointed out, crossing his arms as Sora nodded. Lea shook his head quickly.

"No, no, you don't get it. She's remembering _Axel_ for some reason. And she can enter the Castle, though she has no memory of it. Do you fucking get it yet?" Lea snapped, trying to make someone understand. King Mickey nodded. It had knocked several theories of his off the table, though not the ones he had hoped.

"She was in the Castle as a Nobody before her memory was wiped clean. Before she was…abandoned," King Mickey answered, confirming what everyone was suspecting but refusing to say. Isa grew reserved, looking at the girl curiously. She knew Axel; that was one thing. She could have been told about him before, about his mannerisms and his foul temper. It didn't mean she had actually seen him or come in contact with him. Saix knew for sure he had never seen her before; none of his memories of the Castle included her in them, or even any mention of her. Still, there was this underlying feeling that if she took a good look at him, she would somehow know him too.

When Isa approached before anything else could be said, everyone watched in confusion. Fey watched with apprehension. She had been lenient in Lea's grasp because of how the voices had reacted, but she was growing uneasy with another coming so close. She tensed, wondering if it was time to run. Isa grabbed Lea's arm and looked at him pointedly.

"Let go," he ordered, and Lea began to protest. When he saw the serious look in Isa's eyes, he uncurled his fingers and felt Fey's skin slide across them as she lowered her arm. Before it could settle at her side once again, she was backing away.

Isa reached out and snagged it in a flash, surprising her. As she began to fight him, she suddenly froze. Her eyes locked on Isa, who was watching her expectantly.

"Saix," she breathed, her voice soft. As soon as she spoke it, the murmuring in her head quieted, as if satisfied. She narrowed her eyes at him. Just like with Lea, though the voices flared up when he touched her, she knew, it was not the one whose name she spoke. This man was not Saix. She jerked her arm free and took a step back.

She was done talking. The questions had kept her here, and the voices that had spoken were alluring, but she refused to allow it again. Every time she relayed what the voices were saying, the expressions on those surrounding her changed. She felt as though she were facing the point of a sword, and if she stayed any longer, she risked being impaled.

"What the fu-" Lea began, mind spinning. Isa lunged to grab her again, in a vain attempt to stop her. They had only lifted a small corner of the veil that was shrouding her in darkness. The answers they had given her had only made the situation more complex. If she fled now, she many not return again.

She moved swiftly, using her full strength. Before Isa could blink, she was into the dark corridor and it had shut behind her. He turned to the Hatter, eyes narrowed. According to King Mickey, Hatter had a hand in sealing the world off from dark corridors. Isa knew he had been the one to lift it.

"What the fucking hell?" Lea cried, facing his best friend. His heart was racing. "How the shit did she know your other name?"

"Hatter, you let her go. Do you understand the gravity of this situation at all?" Isa asked sternly, ignoring his friend for now. He couldn't answer him anyway. Hatter didn't respond, absorbed somewhere in his wild thoughts.

"This is partially my fault. I asked Hatter to let her go when she has answered what we need to know about her. He must have thought she could offer us nothing more. In truth, she can't. If she remembers nothing, then there's no point in tormenting her further," King Mickey cut in, bringing the attention back to himself.

"She knows our other names. As for Axel, she could have figured it out from our conversation. But not me. She _remembers_ us, though she may not realize it. She can look at us and tell that though our names fit, it's not really us. She remembers us as Nobodies. Which means she was there when we were there. There's no denying it now," Isa explained, more vocal than he had been before. Lea reached a hand up and ruffled his hair, trying to wrap his head around it. The evidence was right there with them, but it didn't seem possible.

"Why can't we remember her, then?" Lea asked, stabbing a hole into Isa's observation. Isa turned and blinked, his annoyance banished by the reluctant realization that Lea made a good point. If she had known of them without them knowing of her, then she had been kept very secret.

"She's not a normal Nobody. She possesses powers beyond any of those we've ever seen. If she was there during your time, why was she not in your ranks? Why was she abandoned? And why has she gone unnoticed for so long?" Riku asked aloud, knowing no one had the answers. Isa turned his attention back to the Hatter, who was now listening, much to his surprise.

"Hatter, what did you do to free her voice?" Isa asked, knowing any clues right now would help them understand why she existed. Hatter turned around and suddenly strode away, to Isa's dismay.

"Hatter, what are you-" Sora began, pausing when he saw Hatter stoop down. He saw what the Hatter was doing and went silent. After a few moments of apprehension, Hatter returned, weaving around the group until he reached Isa. He held out his hands, holding something in them. Isa gingerly held out his palms, and Hatter opened his. Tiny shards of glass sprinkled into his hands, tainted with green, along with a ribbon attached to a tiny note.

Lea leaned in to look and the other three approached to see as well.

"It was here for a very long time. So mysterious was its appearance, yes indeed! So I waited and watched, and behold! She was the Alice who was NOT Alice! She followed the same path as Alice, and alas…she was someone else. I knew for sure when she danced with me in battle, when I touched her, that this belonged to her. The aura…it was like two raindrops trying to become one, it was. When she drank it…how her aura does shine now! So bright that any who look may find her," Hatter rambled, growing somber at his last bit. His eyes seemed dull. "How I pity NOT-Alice. Now she cannot hide anymore. Those eyes that seek her out will surely see her."

"This…," Lea began, poking a large fragment with a finger. He tilted his head as he looked at it. As he began moving the pieces around in Isa's cupped palms, Sora glanced over at Hatter.

"So, this glass container held some sort of…liquid, that returned her voice _and_ her aura to her? How odd," Sora mused. Riku's mouth twitched as he thought.

"Like she was being hidden from someone," Riku pointed out. He folded his arms. "But why? And by whom?"

"Isa, look," Lea said suddenly. His friend obeyed, blinking a few times as he tried to understand what he was looking at. "Does it look familiar to you? If you see it too…you know what it means, right?"

Isa finally saw what Lea was trying to show him. His eyes widened. He should have known; it was so clear now. He looked up at the other three, who were watching in curiosity. Lea nodded to him. They needed to know as well.

"She was definitely being hidden. This was an antidote…the reason why no one sensed her, and the reason she could never tell anyone about her existence. She was silenced and her aura smothered on purpose. Why…I cannot be certain. To hide someone so powerful from you, once our enemy, would be a twofold mistake. She is undisciplined and would eventually follow anyone in her state. And to not use her against you makes no sense. The antidote was placed here with the residents of Wonderland, so secretive and without even bearing her name on it. It's clear that it was intended for her to eventually stumble upon it, with or without memories. Like they knew something was going down and they wanted her to survive it. But as for hiding her and wiping her memories…it makes no sense. What could be more powerful than her that she needed to be hidden from it? Who is it that she was hidden from?"

"How can you be certain it's an antidote?" King Mickey asked, requiring clarification. Things were beginning to slowly line up, though in a manner that was making him nervous. Everything Isa said was what he was thinking. Her existence itself was unnerving. The complexity of the mysterious girl was growing, and he could see nothing good coming of it. They couldn't remember her, but someone out there evidently did. But who?

"This vial…it's a particular shape that we recognize," Lea began, and Isa tilted his hands to show the top of the vial, where the liquid had once been stoppered in. "Isa and I…when we were Nobodies, sometimes we had to help each other. There was a particular Organization member who was very stiff-assed about the way he did thinks. Poisons went in certain vials, and antidotes…they were in vials shaped like this one."

King Mickey's eyes narrowed. He knew who they were talking about, and felt his clouded thoughts clarify for the moment. She had been a secret indeed. She had been more than just a Nobody. She had been an experiment, shielded from the view of all others.

"If we're going to find out anything more about her, there's only one person we can ask. Vexen knew about her existence; the evidence was in this vial. This was made for her, specifically," Isa pointed out.

"That's impossible. Everyone's gone," Sora reminded. Isa glowered and Lea stepped in.

"You're right. But there's another way. Instead of searching for a dead man, or his former self that may or may not exist anymore, there's another place we can get into his head and see what he saw. Just like Fey did with me," Lea explained, and Riku caught it.

"A journal?" He inquired, and Lea pointed at him.

"Even better. The creepy fuck kept notes on everything, top secret or not. If she existed, there's something about her in his lab somewhere. It's there we need to look," Lea continued, realizing his folly a second later.

"We cannot stray there. You know this," King Mickey said with exasperation. Lea was correct. It was the best place to look. However, there was another area they had yet to visit in order to look for clues. "Perhaps, when the rebellion cut into the Organization, and Vexen joined forces with Marluxia, he left something behind in Castle Oblivion. I intend to look there, since we cannot enter the Castle that Never Was. There must be clues somewhere."

"We will go with you," Sora volunteered, not even asking Riku. He sighed softly.

"You know, not all hope is lost. Fey said she has those voices in her head; those memories. Maybe, if we can convince her to go look at the Castle for clues on her own past, she'll go. She could bring the notes back with her," Isa decided. "If she is like us when we were Nobodies, she'll want to know what's behind that wall of darkness. To not know yourself…it wears on you even as a Nobody. You forget the reason why you exist and step into harm's way to feel anything at all."

Lea grabbed Isa's shoulder.

"How are we supposed to tell her? She skipped out, thanks to head-in-the-clouds over there," Lea said, inclining his head toward the incapacitated Hatter. King Mickey rolled his shoulders.

"Leave that to me. I'll send informants to the other worlds…if they see her, they'll give her a message. She's unlikely to return within our reach before then. In the meantime, all we'll be able to do is wait and hope," King Mickey offered, greeted with nods of approval. Lea and Isa glanced at each other.

"What are we supposed to do?" Lea asked, refusing to back down just yet. This had only just started, and he wasn't letting her go. He still had her damned pendant, after all.

"When and if she returns to the Castle and searches Vexen's lab, she'll be seeking a safe place in the aftermath, whether she finds anything or not. It is where she returned the last time when Axel was waiting. Then, she was apparently tormented by the voices. If it happens again, I'm sure that's where she'll go. The beach is a special place to her, though I'm not sure why," King Mickey explained, nodding to Sora and Riku. "You will be returned to your world. If you are still willing to be involved in this, you will wait there for her return. I only hope that the wait is very short. I don't know what else is out there that can now see her."

"You bet your ass we're still going to be involved," Lea promised, looking down at the swinging pendant on his wrist. It belonged to her, and as long as he had it, he still had a part of her with him.

"I'll be waiting for her there…as long as it takes."

Hatter smiled.


	8. Moonflower

Greetings, readers! Apologies for the long wait; life happens.

I am pleased to deliver this next chapter to you at last.

In a roundabout way, it got me to the path I was trying to veer this story, but the flow was different than I had originally intended.

This chapter is made to make you wonder. And perhaps grow anxious.

Also, for what is happening in this chapter, I am beginning to change more into an AU, though the storyline will stay rather close to the original.

Enjoy.

.

.

.

Lea and Isa stepped through the dark corridor back into their world, escorted by Riku and Sora. As they cleared the darkness, they turned to face each other. All four of them were silent for a long time. They had once been against each other, and now standing so at ease before each other was strange.

Sora stared at Lea, wondering how he hadn't seen it before. He resembled Axel, and it had never occurred to him that he could actually be Axel's somebody. It felt odd to be seeing someone he thought he had seen for the last time. Lea smirked.

"You're looking at me like you wanna kiss me. What's the deal?" Lea asked, and Isa rolled his eyes. Sora was stunned by his jest, so much that Lea's smirk disappeared. He had remained silent too long. Lea's expression turned awkward. "Uhh…I uh…sorry?"

"Who would wanna kiss that ugly face of yours?" Isa asked calmly, tearing the attention away from Sora. Lea glared at Isa.

"You're one to talk, dumbass," Lea shot back, forgetting Sora for the moment. Riku touched his friend's shoulder.

"We need to go. King Mickey is waiting on us to enter Castle Oblivion," Riku reminded, though with reluctance. It was on the list of places he had never wanted to visit again, but he didn't have much of a choice now. Sora nodded, watching the pair in front of him argue. His expression had been one of longing, but not of what Lea had teased him about. There was something he had wanted to say that he thought he'd never have the opportunity to. Now he was having trouble saying it.

"Hey, Lea…Axel," Sora added, silencing the pair that were about to enter into a brawl. Lea looked over expectantly, blinking. His attention had been snagged when Sora used his other name. He was giving Lea the same expression that he had teased Sora about earlier. He studied it cautiously, wondering what Sora wanted.

"Th-thanks…for what you did before. I never really got to say it. I thought…well, now that I know you're alive again, I feel relieved. But for what you did, I'm really grateful," Sora blurted out, knowing his words were making a jumbled mess. Lea understood, though. He looked away for a moment.

"It…it was nothing. Don't feel bad. I'm the one who put my ass on the line. You didn't ask me to," Lea answered, finally bringing his gaze back to Sora. He released the breath he was holding, feeling the knot in his stomach relenting. He nodded, knowing that was the best Lea was going to do. Lea wasn't exactly the type to lay his feelings out for everyone to see.

"We'll be back in a few days. You guys sit tight and keep an eye out. Good luck," Riku interjected, his grip on Sora's shoulder tightening a little. Isa nodded this time.

"The same to you. Be careful in Castle Oblivion. I once believed there could be no one left…but now I am not so sure. Tread cautiously," Isa warned. Sora and Riku waved their last farewell and stepped back into the dark corridor, leaving Isa and Lea alone on the beach. The sun had risen, barely over the horizon, and the city had yet to awaken. Lea turned and looked at Isa, who was gazing calmly at the sunrise.

"Saix. How long have you been able to remember?" Lea began, intending to pull their earlier conversation back out of the rut. Isa folded his arms.

"Since we were reborn back into these bodies," Isa replied shortly, knowing where the conversation was going.

"Did you plan on letting me live in ignorance forever?" Lea asked, waiting while Isa continued to gaze out over the ocean.

"As it is said, ignorance is bliss. I saw no reason to disrupt yours," Isa answered softly, glancing back to see the expected anger on Lea's face. Lea gritted his teeth.

"Those things you called 'dreams' were never going to go away. They came every night, taunting me. You should have fucking told me the truth. That's what friends are supposed to do," Lea snapped. He hated looking like a fool. He had been in the dark for so long, and Isa had left him there. Isa's eyebrows lowered ever so slightly.

"Friends also care about each other. I was shielding you from it. Why was it necessary to remember? The Organization was dead; we no longer had to worry. There was no point in bringing all of that back," Isa replied, as cool as ever.

"Since when have you given a shit about how I feel?" Lea shot back, finally striking a nerve. Isa's arms unfolded and he faced Lea.

"Since we got these back," Isa growled, bringing a palm hard against his chest, over his heart. "I remember when we were Nobodies, Lea. I know I did a lot of shitty things to you. Don't think I don't regret them. I thought maybe the least I could do is let you be at peace. There's nothing else I could do to make up for all that time."

Lea grew silent, anger fading. Isa's hand lowered and he waited for Lea's bout to continue. Instead, it was Lea's turn to look out at the sunrise. His eyes did not truly see it. They wavered and moved about until they stopped on the sand below his feet.

"I'm sorry," Lea said quietly, finally with a clear mind. The realization of what he had always suspected had come as a shock and he had lashed out at Isa. After each dream, he had woken and gazed at the ceiling, touched by a powerful nostalgia that he couldn't shake. But when Isa had seemed unconcerned, he had trusted him and let it go. He was infuriated that Isa hadn't told him the truth, but he understood why. And he wondered if he would have done the same thing.

"Don't be. Your anger is just," Isa replied, turning around again. "I was just relieved you were back into your old form, and you existed as my friend again. I knew if the day ever came that you remembered, there would be hell to pay. But I was willing to risk it. At least during that time you were happy."

Lea sighed and walked forward a few steps until he was even with his friend. He tilted his head so he could see Isa's face.

"Now that I do remember…what happened when we were Nobodies…," Lea began, pausing. He looked at the ocean at the same time Isa looked over.

"Forgive me," Isa asked softly. In that time, all that Isa had wanted was power. He hadn't cared who he had to betray to get there. Axel had been one such person he had abandoned.

"I do," Lea answered quickly, meeting Isa's yellow eyes. "What happened is done, there's no way to change it. It was hell, but nothing I couldn't deal with. We've both got a few more scars to bear, but everything's back to where it should be."

"It does not make me regret my actions any less," Isa pointed out. He wasn't prepared for Lea to let go of his anger so easily. He still felt like Lea should have attacked him and at least _tried_ to beat the hell out of him. Instead, Lea reached over and grabbed his shoulder.

"I'd feel like hell if it did. But don't feel like that forever. We both made good and bad decisions. I'm just glad you're back to the best friend I remember," Lea reassured, allowing a small smile. Isa didn't smile back, only studied Lea's expression. A devilish gleam came into Lea's eyes. "Would it make you feel better if I punched you in the face before I called it even?"

"Not anymore," Isa answered with a smile, shrugging Lea's hand off. The pair faced the ocean, blinking at the much brighter sunlight. The day was coming quickly into being, reminded the two of their lack of sleep. However, something else weighed more heavily on their minds than the sleep that beckoned.

"You know…even though I remember everything, I can't remember her. It seems so strange to me that I don't. We were in on everything Vexen was doing in his lab. We we're helping him all the time. How come we never knew about her?" Lea mused, concentrating on his memories of Vexen's lab. As hard as he tried, he never remembered seeing her, or any human that resembled her. There was no trace.

"I can't fathom it. She was an obvious success. The Organization would have benefited from using her. Though, the fact that she was kept so concealed makes me wonder if King Mickey is on the right track. You remember how Vexen was on Marluxia's side? If she was intended to be used on their side, it would make sense why she was kept hidden. The only thing that still doesn't fit…," Isa paused, eyes narrowed in thought.

"Is why she was ditched in this world without memories or a voice, and her presence concealed," Lea finished. He looked at Isa. "What went wrong that they had to cut her off completely?"

"I fear the only one who could possibly answer is Vexen. Or, perhaps his notes. If she was kept that secret, his files will be hidden well. The possibility that they are destroyed is slim. A success like hers would not be so easily discarded. There is something missing from all of this. There is a link missing that would tie this all together," Isa added. He felt it deep within. There was something out there that would unveil her origin. If it was not in that lab, it was somewhere else. Everything about her couldn't have simply disappeared.

Lea felt it too. At the first moment he had seen her, it had woken deep inside him. Even though he didn't know her, present or past, he had a tie to her that he couldn't shake. Isa was right; there was something missing.

"Isa…how is it that I feel this connection with her that makes me want to protect her? Who does that with a complete stranger?" Lea inquired, and Isa glanced over.

"She's a Nobody. We remember what it's like to be trapped in that existence. It's no wonder we sympathize with her. I felt what you did when we first saw her. I don't want her to be stuck like that either," Isa answered, though seemingly not to Lea's satisfaction. He shook his head.

"I know what you're saying, Isa. But I didn't know what she was when we first met. All I knew was that, deep down, I had this undeniable desire to help her...no, it's more than that. I feel this connection with her…like I've been there with her before," Lea elaborated, knowing he wasn't making himself clear. Isa finally faced him.

"It's because you have. You've been a Nobody before; that's what you were feeling," Isa explained, trying to decipher what Lea was saying. He jumped when Lea whirled and grabbed his shoulders.

"You don't understand me. Listen to me, Isa. I said I felt like I've been there with her because I can't shake the feeling that we've met. There's something missing that would make this all connect together, as you said. Think about how Fey knew us without really knowing us. Somehow when she touched us, she knew our true names. How could that have happened if she'd never had contact with us at some point in the past?" Lea asked. Isa stared at him incredulously.

"Lea, we remember nothing of her. If she was created by Vexen, she most likely studied us for the intent of eliminating us. It's no wonder she knew us. Implying that we were once acquainted is impossible. She doesn't even know her own name, and we did not remember it upon contact either. We didn't know her, Lea. It's impossible," Isa reasoned. Lea was trying to unravel this mystery on his own, but they didn't know anything for sure. Lea sighed and released his friend.

"You're right. There's no way. She's nowhere in my memories. I just wished I understood why I feel this way," Lea relented, gazing down at the waves breaking on shore. Isa watched him. Lea was right in one way; the entire situation was corrupted and missing something vital. As to what was not within their reach. It existed somewhere out there. Someone out there remembered her; unless they were all dead.

"If there is no trace of her, and no one that remembers her, then she may be lost forever," Isa added, finally looking away from Lea. They both remained in silence for a long time, weariness beginning to whittle away at their consciousness. Lea's eyelids lowered slightly.

"All she needs to do is remember. She's not lost completely as long as that's a possibility," Lea mumbled, blinking slowly. Isa, who had been in a similar state of drowsiness suddenly perked up. His eyes widened.

"The antidote…," Isa said suddenly, mind working rapidly. He began to pace and Lea took a step back, bewildered. Instead of speaking and interrupting Isa's thoughts, he waited patiently. Isa finally faced him.

"The antidote was placed in Wonderland specifically for her. It returned her voice to her and made her presence visible again. It was clear that this was intentional. But there was no antidote for her memories. Why would they leave the most important part of her hindrance unaided?" Isa began, hands moving as he slowly laid out his thought process. Lea listened intently.

"I figured that would have probably been the foremost thing to recover. Unless it was impossible. Maybe the antidote wasn't created?" Lea suggested, shrugging. He jumped when Isa pointed a finger at him.

"Exactly. When was Vexen ever able to manipulate the memories of others?" Isa asked, eyes glinting with understanding. Lea shook his head.

"Never," Lea answered, annoyed he hadn't realized that before Isa. After a moment of silence, Isa was still staring at him. Then he understood. Vexen never could have done such a thing with Fey's memories. But there had been someone at close proximity that was very capable.

Lea closed his eyes.

"Aw, fuck."

.

.

.

"Sora," Riku said suddenly, ahead of his friend. Sora looked up in answer, pausing after they had stepped out of the dark corridor. "You've realized it, haven't you?"

"I don't know what you mean," Sora answered quickly, glancing about. They weren't at the meeting place yet. Riku had made a detour, and Sora had a feeling it was for the conversation that was about to happen.

"Yes you do. Tell me, Sora, how long do you think it will be before Lea and Isa realize it too?" Riku asked softly. He faced Sora, blue eyes seeming brighter in the sunlight. "That scientist never touched her memories. He couldn't. There's only one reason why this Nobody we've found can't remember."

"Drop it," Sora snapped. He couldn't believe Riku was bringing this up. Riku studied him.

"It's only a matter of time, Sora. I'm only trying to be prepared. She was involved in this, whether she knows it or not. If it comes down to it-"

"Leave her out of this," Sora cut off again, glaring at Riku furiously. He knew Riku was right, but speaking about it was putting him on edge. They didn't need this; all of this needed to stay in the past, where it belonged. It all needed to be buried and never touch the light again.

"I wish we could, Sora. We need to be prepared, though. It may be unavoidable," Riku pointed out, slowly turning away from Sora again. He opened another dark corridor, this time one that would reach their agreed meeting place.

"We'll deal with that when it comes down to it. For now, Riku…don't say anything to her. Let it lie as long as we can make it," Sora sighed, regretting his anger. Riku only nodded, beckoning his friend forward into the darkness.

.

.

.

Fey moved into the light and spun around swiftly, looking to see if any of them had followed her. Now that it was clear they had the ability to create the portals like her, she wasn't sure if she would be pursued. She knew of a safe place, but she forced it from her thoughts immediately. She couldn't go back there.

She paused and listened, noticing that it was not only the world that was silent. The voices had finally grown silent, leaving her mind at peace at last. She looked over her shoulder as the portal closed, remembering.

"Saix. Axel," she said softly, wondering why the voices had calmed after saying those names. They had a familiar ring to them, and she said them with ease. Those people who had reacted to the names…they were imposters. She felt it when she looked at them. If she were to suddenly remember who the names belonged to, she knew it would not be that pair.

She shook her head violently. It didn't matter who they were. They weren't the ones from her past; that was all she needed to know. All they did was confuse her senses. Even now, with her voice returned to her, she had still lost her path. Having it did nothing for her now. She could ask every creature in every world if they knew her name, but they would not know her. She had heard it; those imposters had explained they knew nothing of her and that anyone who could have was gone. What did she have left?

Something touched her foot and she jumped. She dodged to the side and turned, facing it. There was a rat on the ground, looking up at her with surprisingly intelligent eyes. It squeaked quietly and scampered away, into the darkness. She looked around carefully and found herself back in the realm that housed the dead.

She blinked and straightened, scanning her surroundings. After she had entered the Castle, she realized she could actually call the portal to open in a world of her choice. This time she had only grabbed blindly, seeking escape.

Fey looked over her shoulder and tilted her head back, following an outcropping she recognized. She had been in this exact spot before, not long ago. Her eyes focused on the crumbling castle wall and she remembered. She tilted her head and listened, extremely still. She had made barely any noise upon arrival, and yet she felt as if a thousand eyes were on her.

"Hello, my dear. You've decided you wanted to be devoured after all," a voice said softly, shockingly close. Fey steeled her nerves and looked back carefully, spying a figure on the previously vacant steps. He tilted his head, eyes hooded. "Once upon a time, I could only spy you with my eyes, but now…how easily your presence permeates the walls and reaches me. How…fortunate, that you forgot me long enough to wander here."

Fey had indeed forgotten him. But she had not intentionally come into this world. It was an unfortunate accident. She could leave this world immediately, but something kept her from fleeing. It was this creature, drawing her in. It was not his powers that were intended to seduce his victims. It was Fey's sudden misplaced judgment about her existence.

Just as Isa had described, Fey was lost, and searching for a way to feel something. In this way, she faced the vampire and waited expectantly. The vampire noticed this and raised an eyebrow.

"Or perhaps you did not forget. Did you long for me so much that you came back here to me?" he asked soothingly, a wry smile on his face. He came forward slowly, each step cautious. She watched, eyes glowing softly in the darkness. He splayed his hands out, cocking an eyebrow. "What is it exactly that brought you back to me? I absolutely must know."

Fey didn't answer because she wasn't sure herself. It had been an accident that she had come here, but instead of fleeing, she was allowing him to come closer; something she hadn't allowed even with the green-eyed one who had promised only kindness. She knew this creature intended her harm, and yet she stood without any indication of attempting escape.

He stopped less than an arm's length away, at an uncomfortable distance. Still, she didn't move. He examined her with his blood-red eyes, as though he could decipher her that way. She expected an attack, and was more than ready for a battle. She didn't want to run; she wanted contact, but not what she had originally wanted. She wanted to feel her fury rage forth again. The emptiness was clawing at her insides, driving her to this intentional step into harm's path. Instead, he only looked at her, intensely interested.

"You are immune to me, love. I do not sense your body age as you stand here, and there is nothing to show from our last encounter. Strangely similar to me, and yet…you do not eat do you?" he paused, though not seeming to expect a response. Fey simply stared back, trying to decide how he had discerned these things from her so easily. His eyes suddenly took on a different look and Fey felt the power of his gaze. Something stirred deep within, but it quieted a second later, unhindered. He blinked, then smiled.

"Immune to me in more ways than one. An immortal creature such as yourself, whose blood is sweeter than any other, and able to resist the power of my gaze…is absolutely mesmerizing. I don't think I'll let you go," he admitted, smiling so that his fangs were showing. Fey's gaze slipped down to them, remembering her last contact with them. They moved back up to his eyes, which were still silently beckoning to her. He was a vampire for sure, but he wasn't quite a vampire. He wasn't stone-skinned and scarred like the others. He was strangely flawless and suave in his movements and speech. She sensed he was a predator in more ways than one.

"What shall I call you, love?" he asked softly, shifting forward as he prepared to come even closer. Her eyes narrowed and he smiled in response. "How your eyes glow like that which sits eternally in our skies…you can be my Moonflower."

"That's not my name," she said suddenly, jerking her face to the side as he reached out. His hand paused in mid-air, eyes focused now.

"So you can speak. How delightful. Tell me your real name then, Moonflower," he urged, raising an eyebrow. She was silent for a long moment and he waited patiently. After a while, he moved slightly, trying to finish his motion to touch her face. She moved herself fluidly out of his reach.

"I do not remember," she admitted calmly. She knew deep down this conversation could have no good outcome, but she still continued nonetheless. Her voice had given her a new sense of boldness, as though her words could have more power against a foe than her strength. In a way, it could, but not this time.

"You do not remember? Then how can you be so sure that I did not speak your name?" he challenged, lowering his hand only as he approached. She kept the distance, making sure at least one stride stayed between them. She wasn't ready for contact just yet. He watched her intently. "If you cannot remember, how can you be sure of anything?"

Fey felt her heel strike something as she took another step back. She managed a quick glance over her shoulder, realizing she had been backed up to another crumbling castle. She felt the cool stone on her back and focused her gaze forward at the approaching entity. He saw she was cornered and his gaze intensified, trying to pierce through her. She felt strangely scrutinized under his gaze, though they had remained on her eyes alone. She felt her skin crawl with the sensation that he was seeing every inch of her. He saw this was all his powerful eyes had managed and looked disappointed.

"I just know that it isn't my name. I…," she began, trying to understand it herself. She placed a hand over her chest, remembering the ache that had been so agonizing in the castle. Though she had heard the voices in her head, it had been underneath her hand, in the emptiness there, that she had known these things.

"In there? Somewhere in your chest, you _feel_ it? Preposterous," the vampire finished, tone growing darker. Fey didn't move her hand, but looked at him curiously. It was true; she had felt that the two she had met previously had not been who the voices had claimed. The vampire shook his head. "To be able to feel is impossible for you. You cannot be guided by emotions or by _feelings_, because you have none. I know what you are, Moonflower."

Fey blinked, and the moment her eyes closed, he had overtaken the last bit of distance that separated them. When she opened them, his hands were on either side of her, pressed against the wall. He gave her no room to shift about. The only way she was going to escape was by retaliation.

"You are without a heart…empty…cold; an endless existence with no meaning. You have no purpose, and so you seek out the solace of others. I seek out their pain and their bliss as they descend into the eternal darkness that I once longed for to end my misery. You've only just begun to realize it, but you essentially seek the same thing, in a different way. Why would you, a Nobody, return to me knowing what I would do to you?" he asked softly. His voice grew a dangerous edge to it and their eyes met. "You seek to be the victim, to know pain in order to interrupt the gray nothingness of your existence. Allow me, then…to be your distraction."

She was stunned by his words. She replayed her path back through her mind, trying desperately to place his statement in truth or lie. Had all she been doing was stepping into danger in order to feel something? She remembered her constant movement through worlds, and how she had somehow been finding herself back with the group that had initially tried to kidnap her. Then, she had absently come here, right at this vampire's doorstep. With the realization that everything from her past was obsolete, perhaps he was right. What did she have in her future, if not endless torment from those she could not remember? Was she so different from him? The vampire was leaning forward with fangs bared, preparing to silence the voices for good.

"Give in to me, and I will make you forget the rest of existence. All you will know is you, I, and the pain," he promised, voice unbearably close. Despite what he said, she heard the voices rising, repeating softly until she began to understand it.

_Give in to me, and everything will be alright._

The voice whispered in her ear, not unlike this creature standing before her. There had existed someone before, just like him. They too, had sought to deliver her pain; she felt it within her chest. She had heard it in the Castle, breath in her ear as if he had truly been there. Though the vampire had disregarded her claims, it seemed there was something within her that she could follow. The vampire on the other hand, had nothing. He sought to silence his own voices by dragging those on their last leg down into the abyss with him.

She looked into his eyes, one last glance before his head dipped lower toward her throat. All she saw was darkness. There was nothing else; had not others said almost the same thing about her? The emptiness in her eyes was apparent to all who looked at her. But they had never said there was the darkness within them that she had seen in the vampire's eyes.

No, she was not like him. His touch was chilling and his presence made her want to cringe away. The others who had recently approached her had not done so; there was still something left inside of her that separated her from this creature of the night. She still had something left that was glowing, however faintly. She had not been lost completely yet.

Her hands shot forward and caught his shoulders, stopping him an inch away. His rock-hard skin rippled as he flexed his muscles in tension. He lifted his head and stared into her eyes, seeking the reason for her reluctance. A moment before, he had seen nothing in her. She had only been a lifeless shell, practically begging him to bring some sort of feeling into her numbed self. He had been more than willing to oblige. He had never seen a lovelier creature stray into his domain.

However, something had changed. Her eyes burned hot, ignited with a ferocity that had surfaced from within her. Her grip tightened and she pushed him back, away from her. He tilted his head, smiling slowly. The glow from her eyes had somehow brightened.

"What is it, dear moonflower?" he asked gently, more curious than angry. He wanted to taste her blood again, and so much more, but he was intrigued.

"I'm not like you. I won't be a victim, as you say. There is still…a light," she explained, unable to properly express what she had in her mind. The vampire laughed bitterly.

"You're exactly like me, love. You say these words with such empty eyes. There is no light left, or you wouldn't have come back and surrendered to me," he pointed out, eyes narrowing. He reached up and grasped one wrist carefully, testing her strength. She didn't move away from his touch.

She had never come here for that purpose; at least not consciously. She had only wandered, unable to look up at the path ahead anymore. She had lost direction because of her dead memories. She knew there was no one else like her in these worlds anymore, and those she had known were gone. She had been silently seeking solace, but not in the way the vampire had assumed. She didn't know what she was seeking, but she knew it wasn't this. She _felt_ it.

"There is no light," the vampire snarled, attacking immediately after. He surged forward, throwing her back against the wall she had leaned away from. The force from it caused the wall to shudder and dust to rain down on them both. Cracks spread out behind Fey's body, crawling up and away from her. She gritted her teeth and brought her knee up, striking his side as hard as she could manage. He grunted and fell to the side, but he didn't let go. He pulled her off balance and they both tumbled down the side of the hill, unable to catch any traction. When she finally felt something solid, she reached out and grabbed it, jerking herself to a stop.

She looked up at the rock she was grasping, noting it was part of the walkway that had once led visitors up to the dilapidated castle. She found her footing and looked over her shoulder at the steep descent, unable to find the vampire. He had vanished.

She unexpectedly found him a second later when she turned. Somehow he had ascended the hill and managed to find a vantage point above her without her ever hearing him. When she had noticed him there, he was already on his way to her. They collided and she fell underneath him, her body angled so that the hill was behind her. She reached out to stop herself from sliding over the precarious edge of the hill, but there was no need. The vampire locked his knees against her side, holding her in place beneath him. Without wasting any time, he grabbed her jaw and shoulder, baring her throat.

Her moment of surprise passed a moment too late. His teeth pierced her skin and sank in, locking into place. She lashed out with her legs, unable to strike him. She relied on her arms alone, but she couldn't angle her body in order to pry his jaws apart. She knew if she shoved him back now, he would do major damage that would only leave her more vulnerable. The longer she was held beneath him, the more she lost the will to fight him off. The pain was great, but she was strangely calm. It was as if everything else around had been numbed, and all she knew was her own breathing and the pain that emanated from where he was draining her endless immortal life away. In that solitude, she understood. This is what he had meant. He would be her distraction, in exchange for surrendering her existence to him.

But she wasn't going to surrender to him; she wouldn't surrender to anyone. Not while she knew that light still existed.

She growled in frustration and reached up, forcing herself to see past the blinding pain. She wrapped her hand around his jaw with as much force as she could manage. Instead of fighting her, he pulled his mouth away. As soon his fangs slid free of her skin, the pain faded and the world became clear once more. Her hand dropped and he looked down at her, bright red eyes scrutinizing her.

"Beautiful Moonflower, do you understand, now? With me, nothing else matters," he said softly, reaching down and touching her neck where his bite mark was fading. She flinched automatically at his touch. She took his words in without response, thoughts spinning.

The vampire leaned down, though not with the intent of biting her again. His eyes held something different in them that she didn't recognize. He reached out and caressed her face gently, only smiling when she flinched again.

Nothing mattered regardless of whether the vampire was there or not. She had discovered that in the Castle. She had repeated it to herself endless times, refusing to look up anymore. She was being offered an end to the eternal wandering; one that would distract her from the nothingness outside of his touch.

And yet, despite her arguments, and the opportunity that was looming over her, she heard the voice again, whispering the name she couldn't remember.

It was _him_. The one whose presence had enveloped her in the Castle as she had touched the bed. She had not forgotten him, but she had known there was no body to encompass the voice she longed to hear again. It had been that moment she had returned to the world, as though straight into the hands of the ones who were after her. It was the lack of _him_ that was making her this way.

She had a path that only led to an empty bed in a forgotten castle. She knew this; she had seen it with her own eyes.

Contradicting the vampire's beliefs, she _felt_ that her path did not end there.

And with that, she could not give in to the distraction that was this creature. Her eyes focused suddenly, just in time for his lips to touch hers.

She hissed in a shocked breath, her anxiety of touch returning with a vengeance. It had dissolved away slowly, until it was only a distrusting discomfort, but with this intimate contact, she felt her heartbeat rising rapidly. She wanted nothing more in the world at that moment than to be out of his reach.

She found her strength and struck him with both arms, throwing him back. She rolled to the side and stood, immediately calling her powers to summon a portal. She searched for him and saw him floating in darkness nearby, watching her curiously. There was no hint of aggression anywhere about him.

"What have you to lose by staying here with me? You'll only find yourself wandering back soon enough after you remind yourself that there is nothing out there for you," he pointed out, knowing he was not powerful enough to stop her. "What do you hope to find, Moonflower?"

Fey felt the darkness bloom out behind her, awaiting her. She couldn't answer. She felt it, but could not name it. Perhaps that was all that she needed to keep going.

"I do not know. I will keep searching until I find it," she promised, receiving only a coy smile from the vampire who had gregariously stolen a kiss while she had been lost in her thoughts.

"And when you find nothing, I will be waiting," the vampire whispered, no hint of doubt in his voice. Fey lowered her head and pulled her hood on; something she hadn't done in a while. Then she backed into the portal and vanished from the world of night.

Fey had opened the portal in a frantic rush, but as she stepped into it, she knew exactly where it led. She knew she should be wary, but she continued on nonetheless. It was where she needed to go in order to place her feet back onto the correct path once more.

Days before, she never would have considered returning to such a risky place, but something had changed. When the voices had surfaced, she had begun to feel something deep within that was subtly guiding her away from the solitude she had once lived in. Her desire to reach out into the world had been only a hairs breadth away from being gone forever. Now, she was walking forward, knowingly into the hands of the ones she had once run from.

All because she wanted to hear his voice again, and find any trace that was left of him. She knew he was gone, but she couldn't erase the anxiety from her mind that surfaced when she tried to forget him. So she was left with only one choice.

When she stepped into the light, she let the portal close behind her without pause. She would not be fleeing.

Somehow, she had reopened her pathway into a clearing she had passed in her failed attempt to escape the strangely powerful Mad Hatter. Before her was a long table, adorned with chairs and a full set of dishes for several attendees. Only two were present, however, and very vocal. Everything they said fell on Fey's ears as nonsense, and she tilted her head curiously. She had heard their voices once before, but she had not had a body to place them in. Now she could see the mouse and rabbit bickering with one another at the table, about seemingly nothing in particular.

"Oats of a feather? No no no, I told you, you are mistaken. It is said 'shoelaces of a tether walk together'. Makes perfect sense!" the hare exclaimed, eyeing the mouse with disdain. The mouse responded with a sharp laugh.

"You're wrong, I tell you! Oats have feathers! They flock together every spring, didn't you know?" the mouse cried, waving its little hands about in the air. Fey's eyes traveled around the table, then off, wondering where the mysterious man was.

"Feathers?! Well now I've heard everything! You made that up!" the hare accused, shaking a finger at the mouse. The mouse didn't seem to hear him.

"Oi, she came back. What did you say to do, Hatter? What was I supposed to tell her?" the mouse asked the empty clearing suddenly, drawing Fey's attention. Her head swiveled back around, eyes locking on the talking rodent.

"You have the memory of an oat feather!" a voice responded, right beside her. She jumped and faced the source. The Hatter was standing only a few feet away, watching his companions.

"HA!" the Dormouse exclaimed, pointing at the hare in triumph. The Hare grumbled and turned his attention to the teapot in the middle of the table, seeming put out. After a moment, the Mad Hatter looked over at her and she straightened and returned the gaze with a measure of calm. "I thought you might return, NOT-Alice. I wondered, when when when? I kept extra tea, because I knew it would not be long. I knew you would come back soon, but not when. You were later than I expected, but just late enough…not too early. You arrived just right."

Fey watched him ramble on, blinking in silence. She had seen sanity in his eyes when he had chased her down and forced the antidote into her mouth, but it was gone. It was fleeting as the clouds that had appeared in the skies, just as he had predicted.

Mad Hatter suddenly spun in a circle, and when he was facing her again, there was clarity in his eyes.

"Just right was your arrival…a step or two just late enough to miss the one who was searching for you," Hatter explained slowly, watching her intently. She tilted her head. It wasn't surprising. The set of odd characters that had initially driven her here had once been looking for her. Had they come back so soon?

"One who is searching for me…Lea and Isa? The one called Riku, Mickey, or Sora?" she listed off. She knew it had to be one of those; they were the only ones who had any reason to specifically search for her. They were the only ones she knew of that could traverse worlds, and the only ones who knew what she was. No one else had a reason to pursue her.

Mad Hatter studied her for a long moment, not speaking. He tilted his head, as if listening to something.

"No, no, none of those friends. This one, I've never met before. The eyes that seek you, I did not see. But he could see me, and he thought he could see you here, too," Hatter answered crossing his arms and looking up at the sky. It was slowly beginning to grow darker.

"How can he see me…if I am not there?" Fey asked, trying to reason with him. What he said sounded odd and impossible. Hatter nodded, seeming to agree with her. Then his eyes focused again and he brought his gaze back down.

"The antidote that was part of you, and you part of it, do you remember it? How you broke it so beautifully across the trunk of a tree? He looked there, and knew it was you. When you reclaimed your voice by the antidote, you became discernable…so discernable that it seems you are like a beacon in the dark skies. So bright that even your passing presence illuminates that which you have touched," Hatter explained, surprisingly clearly. His madness seemed utterly gone for the moment.

Despite what he said, it wasn't possible. No one was left that knew her. Only those she had encountered had seen her and known her presence. How could someone come out of nothingness and follow her mere presence, _knowing_ it was she that was emitting it?

Unless there was someone left from her past after all.

The thought brought a cold rush of anxiety over her. She took in a deep breath, trying to comprehend it. Who was left? If they were looking for her, did they know who she was? Would she finally know her own name?

"Who…?" she whispered, suddenly feeling dizzy. Mad Hatter watched her curiously, eyes as clouded as the skies above. She was being followed now, by an entity whose identity she didn't know. All she knew was that they could be the key to knowing herself at last. She would not hide the beacon that was her presence; she would let them find her. Now that she knew, the faint desire to find her path became stronger until all she could think about were the voices that had once tormented her. Would she know their true meaning at last?

"I will…find them," Fey promised, the dizziness turning into something else. She felt her body grow heavy and realized her time of sleep was upon her; at the worst time. In all of her movement through worlds, she had forgotten to find a secure place in which to slumber. She looked up at the Hatter, whose head was tilted.

"Do not find them, or let them find you, dear NOT-Alice. You must hide, at all costs. For he that seeks you does not intend you kindness. I felt it in his aura; he comes forth from the darkness. One that is not unlike your own, but he is very different from you. I have a terrible feeling that if he finds you at last….," Hatter began, pausing suddenly. He reached out a hand, face twisting in confusion. "Did you feel that? I was quite sure I felt it beginning to rain."

Fey dropped to her knees, looking around desperately. She needed to climb up into a tree to ensure her safety, but she had waited too long. She had been enraptured by the Hatter's words, which had trailed off back into the depths of his madness. Whatever he had sensed about the true motives of the mysterious traveler had been lost already. He looked down at her, hand still out in anticipation of another drop of rain.

"Don't fret, NOT-Alice. The antidote remains on the tree; he will not return because he knows it is not you. However, with the rain…I do not know what will happen. If it washes away, will he realize you are indeed here? It is something I don't know. But for now, you are safe. Rest well, NOT-Alice, for I know not when you will be able to afford such a luxury next," Hatter finished darkly, and Fey looked at him warily. She had little choice; she was going to fall asleep here whether she wanted to or not. Hatter posed no threat to her in the sense that he intended her no harm. He had been able to outdo her in their brief battle, and she wondered if he could provide any protection in his erratic state of mind. She wondered then, if he stood a chance against the mysterious one he had spoken of. The Hatter knew of her strength, and had warned her to hide instead of fight. How much danger was she in now?

Fey hit the ground silently, completely unconscious. Hatter spared her a brief glance before looking up at the skies again. He reached behind him and produced an umbrella seeming from thin air, opening it and holding it carefully over his guest. He had no obligation to her, and yet, he intended to keep her safe as long as she graced her presence.

And as long as _he_ didn't.

.

.

.

Gone again. She had left him once again.

He couldn't be too angry; she was flighty and eccentric, which was all part of her alluring charm. She refused to show any inclination or disgust toward him at all. All he received were her blank stares and her spare words, but it didn't matter. No matter how quiet or emotionless she was, he had realized it the second time she had fled from him; there was something else deep inside her that made her different. And it was that that made him covet her. It made him want her fiercely.

She had nary been gone for a few minutes when he saw a portal open at the edge of the hill; almost at the exact spot where she had disappeared. The vampire straightened from where he had been leaning against the ledge, peering down from atop his castle. Had she come back so soon? It didn't seem right. He stayed where he was, watching carefully.

He saw movement at the edge of the portal and blinked in interest. The figure that stepped free of the portal was clad exactly like _her_.

But it wasn't her.

The vampire tilted his head, willing his eyes to pierce the darkness of the hood and see who was there. As if sensing the stare, the figure tilted its head back, locating him immediately. The vampire narrowed his eyes threateningly. This intruder didn't have the same aura as his Moonflower. This one was darker; so dark that even he shuddered at the presence.

"Where is the girl?" the hooded one demanded, voice deep and powerful. The vampire raised an eyebrow in surprise. Could it be that they were after his Moonflower? His eyes narrowed even further.

"I haven't a clue what you're talking about. Who are you to intrude into this realm?" the vampire answered with a growl, trying to gauge his newfound adversary. He didn't know what the figure wanted with his Moonflower, but it didn't matter; it would not be tolerated.

"Her presence is here. Answer me. Where is she?" the voice repeated, ignoring the obvious threat in the vampire's voice. He gritted his teeth, baring his fangs. He bit back his anger and leaned against the ledge, propping his chin on his hand leisurely.

"Of whom are you speaking?" the vampire answered sarcastically. The figure's head turned slightly to the right, observing a neighboring castle. Then the invisible gaze returned to him.

"If you do not cooperate, I will cut you down," the intruder warned. The vampire straightened then, leaning over the wall and staring down his foe.

"Cut me down, then. You will not have her," the vampire snarled, shocked when the man shook his head a second later, seeming amused.

"So you admit you have seen her. Then she is here. I will trace her presence to its source," the man promised, starting toward the castle suddenly. The vampire tensed, not sure what to do. She was not here; he knew that for sure. He couldn't feel her. What sort of delusions was this stray wanderer conceiving?

He looked down and realized the figure was gone. The vampire leaned down further, but it was as if the man had vanished. He heard a scrape and whirled around to face the intruder, who had somehow made his way up to the vampire in only a few seconds. He shook off his surprise and growled softly in warning. He had to be cautious; without even meaning to, this man had displayed an amazing strength that would be a force to reckon with.

Instead of attacking, the vampire felt himself being scrutinized in silence. He growled louder, but the man still didn't budge. The vampire was rather tall, and found himself looking straight across at his foe.

"Her presence is within you. Did you devour her, blood fiend?" the intruder asked bluntly, insulting the vampire without even trying. Instead of answering, the vampire lifted his chin and grinned slightly. He knew well his Moonflower was off in another world, but this creature didn't. If he thought the vampire had killed her, he would abandon his search.

"If only it were that easy," the man said, his voice suddenly holding a degree of menace. The vampire braced himself as his foe shifted.

The night saw two figures fall from the castle, crashing to the ground and rolling away from each other. The vampire swept to his feet, feeling his body crackle as he stood. His skin was covered in chips that would recover, but not quickly enough. His foe had already made it to his feet and was coming toward him.

"Why are you hunting her?" the vampire demanded, leaping into the air on a cloud of shadows. He lifted out of reach, observing his foe from above. The hooded figure backed away, still half-crouched in threat. When he didn't answer, the vampire narrowed his blood-red eyes. "Do not harm her, or you will face the curse of the vampire's wrath."

Without warning, his foe had somehow leapt high enough to reach him. He was struck and fell hard, unable to get up before a black boot was slammed down against his chest, holding him against the ground. The hooded figure leaned over, face concealed even from the vampire's darkness-piercing eyes.

"Your wrath is but a breath of wind against my face; you are nothing. You only managed a taste of the girl whose power is but a fraction of my own. You are almost not worth grinding into dust. However," the man paused, leaning back a little, "her presence emanates from many worlds. Wherever she left her mark, I must destroy, until only her presence remains. Then I will find her at last."

The vampire stared up at the man, contemplating his next move. He was injured, but not fatally. The intruder intended to destroy him, he knew. Instead of thinking of his own self-preservation, he found himself thinking about the girl whose blood he craved fiercer than anything else.

"What are you going to do when you find her?" the vampire asked, surprisingly calm. The intruder produced a weapon the vampire had not previously seen on him. The man turned and pointed it at the vampire, only an inch away from his throat. He tilted his head back, keeping his eyes on the man standing over him. He waited for the answer, doing nothing else. He knew he stood no chance. Fighting was useless. All he wanted now was to hear what would become of his dear Moonflower.

The mysterious figure reared back, holding the weapon aloft as he prepared to strike. He paused, staring down his calm victim. The vampire received only one word as his answer; the rest followed a second after.

"This."


End file.
